Summer 2012 has arrived in full
style here in Chicago and the Halfstack staff is rolling in behind it. We are
all so excited and proud to share our second quarterly issue with all of you
supporters and readers out there.
Summer always brings back great childhood
memories for me. I often remember myself daydreaming on the stoop of our old
apartment in Humboldt Park during the hot summer days of the 90s; eating my
paletas and wondering about where life would take me.
Even as a kid, I had big dreams.
Despite growing up poor, living in gang infested neighborhoods and seeing some
hard stuff as a kid, I still had hope. That’s definitely something my family
instilled in me early on. With that hope also came a lot of tenacity and
ambition. So, it was never a shame to dream, dreaming in the hood was a way of
life and an opportunity for young kids like me to hope to make a difference.
Those dreams, I notice, are a
frequent underlying idea within the hearts of many of the designers, artists
and musicians we are showcasing in this summer issue. It amazes me how
resourceful people can be when given no other option, but to “make life work”
for them. This issue is about the fighters. It is about those young guns who
people may have looked over at one point, but who ended up coming out on top.
Musicians like Chi-P and Designers
like Rosina Mae, who keep going, even when the going gets tough. They never
gave up, even when life threw them in shark infested waters. People like that
inspire me.
During the making of this issue,
there were days and nights where I wanted to give up the fight. Not because the
work was too hard or because we had help that didn’t follow through, but
because like many of you fighters out there, I was facing some tough times.
While embarking on the journey to create this last issue, I was also going
through family turmoil and embarking on a personal journey of my own. From
divorce to having to share my daughter to leaving a crap job, I was going
through some hard times and felt defeated.
It’s been scary and down right
hard as hell, but then I see the things that the people we showcased, right
here in the magazine, are doing (despite dealing with pain, drama and hurt) and
I was inspired to keep going. In life, we are all going to face people who want
to see us fail, who take joy in seeing our pain, but it’s up to each and every
one of us to not let the naysayers win. It’s up to each and every one of us to keep fighting for our dreams,
goals and hopes, but most importantly for ourselves. We can all achieve our
dreams, if we believe in ourselves. The beauty of it is, that it is from these
hardships, negative people and difficulties that we grow and become even better
than before. In life, if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you.
There’s this new song out by Gym
Class Heroes and It touches my soul every time I hear it. I dedicate this song,
just as I dedicate this issue to all of the fighters. Here’s the hook, I hope it hooks you too.
If you fall pick yourself
up off the floor (get up)
And when your bones can't take no more
Just remember what you're here for
Cuz I know imma damn sure
Give em hell, turn their heads
Gonna live life til we're dead.
Give me scars, give me pain
Then they'll say to me, say to me, say to me
There goes a fighter, there goes a fighter
Here comes a fighter
That's what they'll say to me, say to me
Say to me, this one's a fighter
xoxo -
Jennifer M. Lezan
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