SOUL RIOT Issue #1:Crossroads

Man is free at the instant he wants to be.

- Voltaire

Photo by Korry Benneth

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Contents

5. Note from the Editor

7. List of Kick-Ass Contributors

10. Pennies that Add Up to Culture by Michelle D’Avella

12. Looking Back by Rashad Wright

14. The Right Way by Theresa Campbell

17. Untitled by Anna Perrett

20. Living the Questions by Kristen Costa

22. The Right Road, the Wrong Road - and the Road You Traveled By by Marthe Hagen

24. A Practice to Help You Get Real

26. Truth as an Inconstant by Ender Kirin

28. A Soul Awakening by Vienda Maria

32. Which Road to Take? by Rashad Wright

34. Crossroads - A Story by Eva Schroeder

36. Share Your Truth

38. My Career Homecoming by Laura Simms

40. Standing at the Crossroads of Infinity by Merja Willock

45. Every Moment of Our Lives is a Crossroad by Tabitha Jayne

46. Flickering by JoCheryl Holcombe

50. You Can’t Choose Wrong by Rebecca Hunter

52. At the Crossroads of Consciousness by Pramilda Seto

54. My Crossroads by Dina GV

56. Moving Ahead by Rashad Wright

58. Get Involved

60. Sneak Peek of What’s to Come

62. Contact Info

Hi!

So. This is kinda awesome.

Welcome to issue #1 of Soul Riot, home of the unorthodox, the rowdy, the vivid and the vulnerable. My driving motive? To toss out small talk and façades and get truthful about what’s really going on.

Sick of all the surface-level stuff that surrounds us, I wanted to set into motion a media sea change. I don’t want to tell you what to wear, where to go, what to think or who to be. Instead, I’m gonna share stories from people who are letting their imaginations, intuition and straight-up uniqueness take the lead as they shape lives that embody depth and difference. The contributors to this magazine are all ‘bout the real talk, proving that you don’t have to tread the well-worn path and that there is more to this life. (And also? That life gets messy sometimes. And that’s OK.)

The theme of this first issue is ‘Crossroads.’ ‘Cause we’ve all been there. Stock-still at the proverbial fork in the road, stacking up left against right. Especially when it comes to anything offbeat and daring. Well, whaddya know? The contributors stepped up. I know you won’t be disappointed.

And I can’t forget to mention the crazygood images featured in these pages. Go give the photographers some love. They’re pretty darn incredible.

Thanks so much for being here. Seriously. This magazine can’t and won’t exist without you, so your support’s pretty weighty. I’ve been floored by the level of love and anticipation in response to this movement. The hunger for change is palpable.

So, let’s get to it, shall we?

High-fives + realness,

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Photo by Jascha Hoste and Kyle Holohan

Founding Editor Rebecca Hunter

Contributors Writers

Theresa Campbell Kristen Costa Michelle D’Avella Dina GV Marthe Hagen JoCheryl Holcombe Tabitha Jayne Ender Kirin Vienda Maria Anna Perrett Eva Schroeder Pramilda Seto Laura Simms Merja Willock Rashad Wright

Photographers

Temari 09 Korry Benneth Guian Bolisay Jim Champion Sodanie Chea Fernando de Sousa Ricardo Diaz Matthew Faltz Krista Grinberga Kyle Holohan Jascha Hoste Linda Lane Patrizio Martorana Dagny Mol Ellen Munro Maximilien Nguyen Arek Olek Josie Lynn Richards Julie Jordan Scott Wong Mei Teng Bob Vonderau webtreats Sandy Whitesides woodleywonderworks

(Cover photo by Sandy Whitesides)

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Don’t let life discourage you;everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was. - Richard L. Evans

Photo by Patrizio Martorana

Don’t let life discourage you;everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was. - Richard L. Evans

When we talk about being at a crossroads in our lives, we are typically referring to a critical moment when we realize that we have to make a decision and that decision is going to have an impact. These are moments of heaviness in life. We place a lot of attention on these choices. We seek advice. We contemplate. We weigh our options. We care about the effect this decision will have on ourselves, others, and the world.

Now, I’d like to ask you to consider this:When are we not at a crossroads? Our actions, our choices;when are they not crucial? When does an action not have a consequence? The only difference between this moment and the next is our perception of it. We choose whether or not this decision is a big one.

Placing value judgements on circumstances assists us in saving time, energy, and effort. These cultural norms have enabled us to make decisions more efficiently. Deciding whether to take a human being off life support or what cereal to eat for breakfast are different choices with different weights. It would be silly to exhaust our energy on whether we choose Froot Loops or Kashi, but the decision has an effect nonetheless. The point here is that we tend to make many unconscious choices simply because

they are upheld by our cultural norms. Let’s quickly remember that at one point it was normal for women to “yes” their husbands and stay at home while the men ran things, and it was normal to own another human being if their skin was darker than your own. Someone had to question this normal.

Now we live in a world where slavery sounds like a fiction story to most (despite the reality that it still exists), and women with great freedoms are rarely reminded of how recent they are. We grow up drinking cow’s milk with our cereal every morning because culture dictates this norm, and we don’t question it unless we encounter a vegan. I remember reading an article in a newspaper when I was a kid about a man who flicked off a woman who cut him off on the road. There was a glare on the window, and when he was able to see her face, he caught her expression of warmth and gratitude morph into shock and pain as she realized her mistake wasn’t so easily forgiven. How many times do we lean on the side of separation? What has become culturally acceptable? We flick people off. We give dirty looks. We mutter under our breaths. We don’t give people a break. These moments matter. They are crossroads of humanity. They are pennies that add up to

culture.

The definition of crossroads says, “a point at which a crucial decision must be made that will have far-reaching consequences.” Well, I would argue that all our pennies, and all our tiny actions, have far-reaching consequences. If we all loved an inch more, if we discovered true humility, if we were really willing to see everything for what it is, the whole picture would look quite different. Our perspectives guide our choices. Our choices shape our world. Everything is part of a whole, and all of us are always at crossroads.

Michelle D’Avella is an idea person, a challenge(r), a world-changer. She’s a learner, a reader, a designer. She’s a life-lover and a good hugger. She writes a blog called Pushing Beauty, a platform to push beautiful ideas into culture. She also makes designs for people who are positively contributing to the world through her business, Free Agency. She loves connecting, and she’d love to connect with you.

Websites: PushingBeauty.com / ChooseFreeAgency.comTwitter: @michelledavella

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Our perspectives guide our choices. Our choices shape our world.

Pennies that Add Up to Culture by Michelle D’Avella

Photo by Temari 09

Looking Backby Rashad Wright

Photo by Arek Olek / CC BY-SA 2.0

I forgot where I was goingYet I still walk this pathI forgot where I startedYet I still walk this path

I look at my footprintsAnd remember where I have walkedI look at my scarsAnd remember what I have done

I look aheadAnd remember where I have been

I remember when I couldn’tNowadays I canI remember what I wanted to beNowadays I am

Back in the days I wasn’tIn the future I will beBack in the days I didn’tIn the future I will do

In the future I’ll remember me back in the daysThen I’ll say I sure came a long way

Rashad Wright is an 18-year-old college freshman from Jersey City in New Jersey, USA. He has only been writing for a year but has already created over a hundred poems. So far he has only performed them locally, but do look out for this aspiring poet.

Website: Omni-Poet.tumblr.com

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I’ve been there before. Feet firmly planted in fear at the crossroads. The path to the left looked all too familiar. It was paved, and it generated feelings of comfort and safety, while the path to the right was unpaved, dark, really scary, and I could have sworn I’d heard dragons.

The left path had obviously been traveled before;in fact, it appeared to be a continuation of the road I had been following since high school. It was the next chapter of my (in society’s eyes) predictably perfect and storybook-successful life. So far, this road hadn’t been bad at all. In fact, it was great! Along the way I’d picked up my bachelor’s degree, an MBA, and a sweet gig at a Fortune 500 company (which came with a brand new company car!). I’d bought a nice condo in Florida, tied the knot with the love of my life, and even found God. Life was good.

So if life on the left path was so good, why were my “feet firmly planted in fear” at the crossroads?

Truth is... I was paralyzed by the fear arising from the battle happening inside me.

My mind immediately started firing off directives:

“C’mon silly girl... Move your feet! Only 35 more years down this path, then you can retire. Just keep climbing that ladder. Who cares if you just like it but don’t love it? Regardless, you know it’s safe. What are you waiting for? Stick with the program! You know what’s next... Time to make some babies!”

While my mind lectured on, trying to get me to keep on keepin’ on, my heart and soul joined forces and began preaching in unison from my core:“Trust us... Follow the right path. Live out your purpose. Yes, it will be scary, but you’ll be living your truth and therefore, happiness and success are guaranteed to ensue.”

I was stuck.

It was decision time and I had no idea what to do. Actually, that’s a lie. Deep down, I knew what I needed to do, but I wasn’t scared;I was terrified.

While my rational thoughts were trying to persuade me with this cozy idea of security through the status quo, my heart and soul were preaching a language I didn’t even understand. “Live out your purpose.” Huh? Excuse me? And what the hell did “living your truth” even

mean? At this point, did it really matter if I knew what it meant if I could feel it?

All I knew was that every fiber of my being was propelling me to take a step. And finally, I did. I took a step down the right path, and I stepped right into faith. Down this path I discovered my purpose and my deepest truths (which didn’t come without slaying some of those dragons). And the best part was... my heart and soul were right. Happiness and success did naturally ensue.

So now, I look back to you, standing at the crossroads with your feet firmly planted in fear, and I want to personally invite you to join us. Yeah, us! Believe it or not, this right path eventually intersects with the paths of others who are paving their own way, too. It’s amazing! The stories these folks will share with you will provide you with light when your candle burns out, direction when you feel lost, and most importantly, love and inspiration when you need them most.

With this personal invitation in hand, and as you prepare to pick your path, the only question left to ask is... How big is your faith?

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The Right Way by Theresa Campbell

Coach, marketing strategist and author Theresa Campbell brings high-achieving, remarkable women into the lives they dream of but fear they can’t have. Whether growing a business, jumping a rung on the corporate ladder, or navigating a crucial conversation with loved ones, Theresa equips her clients to optimize their potential while feeling confident, reassured and supported in all areas of their full and authentic lives. As founder and CEO of Her Life, Her Legacy LLC., Theresa believes that authenticity, combined with action towards a compelling vision for the future, leads to influence and, ultimately, legacy.

Websites: YoTheresaCampbell.com / HerLifeHerLegacy.comTwitter: @theresacolleen

Photo by Bob Vonderau

Photo by Guian Bolisay

by Anna PerrettI ask forgivenessI wonder, I question lifeI do not live it.

Childhood dreams can fadeGoals take over. What is leftWhen old dreams succumb?

Paths I have taken,Fade away, lost in the darkThere is no way back.

Aimless wanderers, Go unseen in the shadow.Please, let me just, be.

Make me visible.Walk with me to the right path.Help me look inside.

Where should I go, whenThe ties of a life bind meTo one place, one being.

Being is acting.Inaction breeds only death.So I choose to live.

Reawaken child,Teach me to seek out my joy.To dispel my fear.

I think I will danceAt the crossroad of my life,Before I find my way.

After graduation and her first foray into her chosen career, Anna Perrett moved away from her job to be closer to friends and family. Lately, the feeling has started to grow on her that her life was being dictated by a series of clearly defined steps, a constant tirade of, “You have achieved X. What next?” She decided she wanted to find out. So she is taking the time to slow down, reassess her goals, and experience more of the life that simply passed her by when she was too busy ticking off one box after another.

I think I will dance at the crossroad of my life,before I find my way.

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Photo by Fernando de Sousa

You can’t get to courage without walking through vulnerability.

- Brené Brown