S&A Magazine Issue 2 – Volume 2

June 2021 Issue

Issue 1 – Volume 2

Holiday of the Month
Sketchbook Page
Quote of the Month
Craft
Drawing Prompt
Sustainable Fashion
Main Article
Recipe

Holiday of the Month

Pride Month

Introduction

June is pride month! Pride month is when people who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community celebrate and feel proud of who they are. While people should feel proud year-round, the month of June is especially dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community.

The History of Pride Month

The first pride march was held in 1970 by Brenda Howard, also known as the Mother of Pride. It was a year after the Stonewall Uprising; the Stonewall riots lasted three days and were held by members of the LGBTQ+ community who wanted to fight against discrimination from police. After the first pride march, organizations inspired by civil rights and women’s rights were formed. The pride movement and support for the LGBTQ+ community soon spread across the world and parades, celebrations, and marches are still held annually today.

What you can do to celebrate

Know the Pride Flags

There are many different pride flags to represent the different ways people identify. As the LGBTQ+ community grows, new identities and flags can be created. There are a lot of different flags and it can be hard to know about all of them. However, it is important to try your best to keep up with them and acknowledge the different identities they represent. Below you will find a chart of a few common LGBTQ+ flags. You can find almost all of them here.

Support people in the LGBTQ+ Community and be Kind

It is important to know that people can be different and that’s okay. If you or someone you know is part of the LGBTQ+ community, make sure to support them and make them feel proud to be who they are. Try to respect people’s identities, pronouns, and names.

Donate to foundations supporting the LGBTQ+ Community

It’s also very helpful to donate what you can. Below, we have listed a few organizations that are helping to protect and support people in the LGBTQ+ community.

Conclusion

We hope you learned something from this article. Remember that people are people no matter how they identify. Showing your love and support is important to do during pride month and all year.

Above: rainbow flags and rainbows typically signify gay pride.

Sketchbook Page

A Collection of Doodles

This sketchbook page took a very long time to finish. However, it was relaxing to come up with different shapes and doodles and repeat them on the page until I thought of a different idea. The contrast with the colorful paint splatter and the gray doodles also added an interesting look to the drawing.

Quote of the Month

June Quote

This month’s quote is: “if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more” I chose this quote because it’s something that I should probably tell myself, since many times I’m scared of what the future might hold, which prevents me from taking risks.

Craft

Decorated Picture Frames

This craft is super fun and easy. You only need a rough idea to come up with a beautiful design. You can come up with a theme for the frames that match your room or the photo.

What You’ll Need

A picture frame
Glue
Beads
Paint and Mod Podge (Optional)

Step 1

If you want to paint your picture frame, be sure to do that first. You will need to do more than one coat to get the paint to be opaque. (If you are painting a picture frame with a dark surface, paint on a layer of white first so that the color shows up well.) When you are done painting, spread on a layer of mod podge.

Step 2

Now choose a general color pallete for your frame. I went for black, gray, and silver. Decide where you want to put your beads. Then, hot glue them in place. The more spread out and randomly placed they look, the better. Try not to think about making it perfect.

Drawing Prompt

Draw a Portrait

This month’s drawing prompt is to draw a portrait. I decided to draw an elf girl, but you can draw whoever you want! Have fun with your drawing and if you would like send us a picture of it to sandazine@gmail.com!

Sustainable Fashion

An Outfit Styled With Nisolo

Nisolo is a sustainable brand based in Peru that values the creator as much as the customer. They hire skilled workers to create quality shoes. The workers are paid fairly and the materials they use to make their clothes are sustainably sourced. While Nisolo specializes in shoes, they also have many other clothing options for men and women. The product below shows one of their jewelry pieces.

Nisolo Link Earrings

Main Article

How to Support Your friends When They are Going Through a Hard Time

Introduction

Getting into an argument, having something go wrong, someone letting you down, or just overall having a bad day, are all things that make life challenging. Everyone faces challenges, but sometimes it’s hard to comfort others when they’re going through a difficult time. It can be tough to know exactly what to say to a friend or family member when they tell you about something that’s been bothering them. Even if you know the person well and genuinely want to help them, every situation is different and calls for a different approach. However, having a general list of things to say can be very helpful when trying to comfort your friends.

Help them if you are able to

This first option is self-explanatory. You should always offer your friend practical help with their situation when you can. This shows them that you care and is also a great way to improve their situation. So the next time your friend tells you about their overwhelming workload, make sure to lend a helping hand.

Let them know that you appreciate them being vulnerable around you

Talking to your friends about your personal issues takes courage. Some people prefer to keep their emotions to themselves, so sharing them can be overwhelming. As a good friend, it’s important that you acknowledge that your friend chose to tell you about their struggles. Be sure to let them know that you appreciate their vulnerability and that their feelings are valid. Just telling someone that it’s okay to feel that way can be very comforting.

Reassure them and tell them that everything is going to be okay

Depending on the situation, this point can be either very helpful or unhelpful.

Sometimes, hearing the phrase, “Everything’s going to be okay,” can make you feel like the person isn’t really listening and being sincere. It’s important to try to recognize how your friend is feeling in the moment before telling them that things will blow over. When you do reassure your friend, try not to say “Everything’s going to be okay,” exactly and instead give reasons why you think their situation will get better. This shows that you are listening and genuinely care about your friend.

Have you and your friend take the 5 love languages quiz to see what they really value and how you can make them feel better

This quiz asks you a few questions to determine what your love language is. There are five love languages: words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, acts of service, and receiving gifts. These can be used to show your friends, family, and significant other that you care. You can have you and your friends take these quizzes together so that you know how to make each other feel loved.

Conclusion

Helping your friends and knowing the right things to say are very important. When done right, you can build very strong bonds with your friends and feel genuinely happy around each other. The tips listed can help you form kind habits and behaviors. So the next time you suspect your friend is having a bad day, try to make it a little bit brighter.

Recipe

Mango Smoothie

This recipe is very simple, but the end result is definitely worth it! This smoothie is refreshing and perfect for cooling off on a hot day. Plus, mangoes are in peak season right now so it’s just the right time to eat them. If you want, you can try this recipe out and send us a picture to sandazine@gmail.com!

Total Time: 5 Minutes

Servings: 5

Ingredients

12-ounce bag of frozen mangoes
1 cup of Orange Juice
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons of sugar

Directions

Place all ingredients into a blender and mix for 2-3 minutes or until completely blended
Pour into cups and enjoy your refreshing smoothie!

Thanks for reading S&A Magazine!

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