PENS & NEEDLES: A LITERARY MAGAZINE update

CONTENTS
Writers
Andrew Black....................................................................................................
Eternal Fonville.................................................................................................
Tshanzi Mulangaphuma....................................................................................
Crystal Myre.....................................................................................................
Curtis Wheeler..................................................................................................
Illustrators
Andrew Black...................................................................................................
Tshanzi Mulangaphuma....................................................................................
Photo
Somos Thompson.............................................................................................
Editors
Andrew Black
Lauren McKenzee
Courtney Savoy
Somos Thompson
Questionare
Kimberly Palacios
Alec Pollard

EDITOR IN CHIEFS
Courtney Savoy & Somos
EDITOR
Alisa Hyman & Lauren McKenzee
ART DIRECTORS
Andrew Black & Tshianzi Mulangaphuma
PRINCIPAL
Mr. Jackson
VICE PRINCIPALS
Ms.Robinson & Ms.McKenzee
ACCESORY DIRECTOR
Joshua Hankerson
RESEARCH CENTER
Calvin Coolidge Sr. Highschool
SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR
Carloibiam Herron
CHIEF ORGANIZERS
Edward Buttler & Mike Mitchell
MARKET DIRECTOR
Sereta Moore
CONTRIBUTERS
Mr.B & Mr Battle
DCPS DIRECTOR OF ART
Nathan Diamond
BUSINESS MANAGER
Alexis Richberg
BOARD of DIRECTORS
Michael Black Williams
Antonia Tizo
June Sanders
Precious Frazier
Kelvin Barton
Stanley Thompson

By Somos Thompson
This book wasn’t meant to be perfect, nor meant to have the
proper punctuation. It was meant to be just as the title says, LITERAL.
With the help of, Courtney Savoy, we started to Design.District to be a
fashion program, that over the course of 3 years has morphed into a
fashionscienceartsenglishmath [yes this is meant to be one word]
program and couldnt be more excited of what the future holds.
The one thing that has stayed consist to our initial vision is our
hashtag slogan, #CurateCultivateMotive, and thats literally how
the idea for this literal magazine came about. I noticed one of the
art directors/writers was having issues with the dialogue for his
comic book. Courtney and I, curated a writing class to cultivate a
skill that many kids and adults are losing, the art of writing. The
class started of slow and many days the kids didn’t want to write
but here we are. I hope that the printing of this book motivates
them to push thru the temporary pain of hard work.

PINS & NEEDLES 4
By Andrew Black
It was getting dark out and the city began to illuminate itself with a vivid
neon glow. As he walked, a cold air grew around him and things began to
slow down. Suddenly he found himself alone. As the fog grew around him
he paused. The sound of footsteps became louder until a tall man with a
long coat and a cane appeared in front of him.Now directly in front of him,
he noticed the man’s glowing green eyes. “ Good after noon.” At the sound
of those words a chill ran down his spine causing him to retreat.The man
grew closer and extended his cane. Suddenly the man as gone. The fog lifted
and he noticed that the buildings around him had vanished and in their place
were huts and the wide expanse of a jungle.
Ilustrated by Andrew Black

PINS & NEEDLES 5
Ilustrated by Andrew Black
By Anonymous
I am a caged soul waiting to burst out. I just want to be free from fear.
That's something that had held my potential hostage with a gun loaded
with doubtful bullets to penetrate and kill my dreams causing internal
bleeding that fills my higher being with death. Though there is a chance
that I might truly die. I know fear isn't as smart as me. The soul, the higher
being operating in this dysfunctional human life. I still have the chance to
make shit happen and contour my obstacles. I'm so much more greater than
what the eye can see and one day my sorority, meaning me the soul will
manifest greatness.

PINS & NEEDLES 2
PINS & NEEDLES 7
By Anonymous @ 3:41pm on March 24, 2016
So I’m eating hot cheetos with potatoe Frito Lays at the same time because i am starving.
Ilustrated by Andrew Black
I’m also craving Chipotle (specificaly the sour cream) . I was told to write whatever
was on my mind at the moment, I mean I’ve a bit emotionally but I don’t and wont let
it get the best of me. I had a very productive day, I did a good amount of work
throughout my classes today. I need to be more focused on my school work I haven’t
been motivated enough and tend to procrasinate alot lately but I’v been trying to make
honor roll my third & fourth quarter this school year. Other than that I want to go
workout because the weather is gr8 outside this afternoon.

PINS & NEEDLES 8
Trenches, 2015
Portrait by Somos Thompson

PINS & NEEDLES
9
African Americans Were Never enslaved
By Son of Paul
Ilustrated by Andrew Black
I believe that we would have enslaved white people, or kings and queens
would still be around and the “United States of America” would never exist.
White people would have to suffer just like our ancestors had too. I would
not be able to imagine how the government would be organized, however, I
know that it would have been beautiful. Would the Constitution even exist?
How would presidents have come about? If we could go back in time and stop
the assassination of MLK and Malcolm…wait! But think about it…….
It never happened during this time. Would this change the balance of history?

PINS & NEEDLES 10
By Stalwart Black
Step 1 Secure Family
Step 2 Secure Weapon
Step 3 Secure Shelter & Transportation
Step 4 Secure Food
Step 5 Set Some Traps
Step 6 Find other survivors while eliminating potential
threats along the way
Step 7 Expand land Constantly
Step 8 Build an Army
Step 9 Relocate & Secure
Step 10 Repeat all other steps
Ilustrated by Andrew Black

PINS & NEEDLES 11
By Eternal Fonville
Hi, I’m Toby, the guy who influences certain good guys to do wild things and take risks that they normally
wouldn’t do. The people I have possessed, occasionally, have done things that they would not
have when I am not around.
Ilustrated by Andrew Black

PINS & NEEDLES 12
By Curtis Wheeler
My dark side is fun. Its eating whole containers of cookies at 12 pm. Its bubbly like soda for breakfast. Its
dreaming of thing s I can't have and trying to take what I shouldn't have. My dark side is pink strawberries
dipped in chocolate while thinking of stolen kisses in the dark that could've happened but didn't. Sour like
lemons and sweet like cherries.
Ilustrated by Tshianzi Mulangaphuma

PINS & NEEDLES 13
By Curtis Wheeler
Fluttering like butterflies is the sound of my flute. Rough and in need of assistance reflects my voice. Feeling
every celling my body thrum to the beat in my headphones. I'm falling with music and music follows too.
Moving my body to the music cause I'm done feeling blue.
Ilustrated by Andrew Black

PINS & NEEDLES 14
By Stalwart Black
Back flip
“The art
reverse the switch of
forward tactics of war” times
march
left right left
08 handed
eight ate ayt bandit
mate
stranded
on a planet…
star wars
Darth Vader
on the
radar
of
a
samurai
ship
has
sailed
past
the specific
time of the pacific.

PINS & NEEDLES 15
Blu Shawty, 2015
Portrait by Tshianzi Mulangaphuma

PINS & NEEDLES 16
Red Shawty, 2015
Portrait by Tshianzi Mulangaphuma

PINS & NEEDLES 17
By Andrew Black
If I could become invisible I would use my ability to travel the world for free forever. I would
become a bounty hunter, hunting the worst criminals and the biggest payout. Then after making
enough money off of bounties I would retire. The only way my ability would become a burden
would be if I was held captive in my own invisibility.
Ilustrated by Tshianzi Mulangaphuma

PINS & NEEDLES 18
By Crystal Myrie
So I’ve been distant from people at school and my friends aren’t talking to me so I was
done in most things like at lunch or in the morning. Some times, it feels
like im in a different world where there is just me in the form of a ghost. Most of the time
it feels nice to be away from all of the problems in my life, it makes it easier
for most people to think about their friends and they act around you or more private
things they want to think about. In my life, I think that I’m doing a good job thinking about
things that are important to me and that it keeps me out of trouble in school.
By Anonymous
It is the 1 day out of the week that is used for mostly “living”,
what I mean by living is celebrating and partying.
Plus one of my favorite restaurants is named after it. I wish
today was friday. Black Friday everyday would
just be amazing . This Friday, I might go sking.

PINS & NEEDLES 19
By Alec Pollard, Translated by Kimberly Palacios
Everyday, hundreds of students shuffle pass room 102, on the second floor of Calvin Coolidge Senior High School. It is now a
condemned, mold infested dungeon, with a caved in ceiling. However, those four walls once housed one of the most diligent, hard
working, and skilled teachers to ever grapple the profession. Currently, Mrs. Doris Savoy is teaching one door down, in room 105. She
is the epitome of black girl magic. Her longest stent at Coolidge has been from 1987 -she also taught at Coolidge four years prior to thatand
she hasn’t left since. In her 33+ years at Coolidge, she has won numerous awards that has brought her around the globe and to the
couch of the Oprah Winfrey show. In her case, when little is provided, much is expected. She had a battles with cancer, while opening many
doors for a lot of young people through her Spanish class. To get a better understanding of who she is, we asked 10 questions.
1. What is your favorite subject do you teach? ¿Qué es tu tema favorito Cómo se enseña?
“Spanish. I liked it. It comes easy to me. I don’t like French, that much, but I like Japanese and Russian.”
"Español. Me gustó. Se viene fácil para mí. No me gustan los franceses, que mucho, pero me gusta japonés y ruso. "
2. Is there any other subject that you would like to teach, other than Spanish?
¿Hay algún otro tema que le gustaría enseñar, aparte de español?
“No, I connect with Spanish. I can’t see myself teaching any other subject.”
"No, me conecto con el español. No puedo ver a mí mismo enseñar cualquier otro tema ".
3. What graduating class was your favorite? ¿Qué clase de graduación fue su favorito?
“I can’t tell you that… I love them all the same.” "No puedo decir que ... Me encanta a todos por igual".
4. What is it like working with your daughter? ¿Cómo es trabajar con su hija?
“It has been different, but since we teach completely different subjects (art) we don’t really have to interact.
However, she is very talented, and good at what she does.”
"Ha sido diferente, pero ya que enseñamos completamente diferentes sujetos (arte) que en realidad no tienen que
interactuar. Sin embargo, ella es muy talentosa, y bueno en lo que hace ".
5. What is one thing you would change about this school if you could?
¿Qué es una cosa que iba a cambiar sobre esta escuela, si pudiera
“The physical condition of the school. It is falling apart! When students have to choose between going to
Roosevelt or Coolidge, most of them choose Roosevelt because of the remodeled building. It is not that our
teaching staff isn’t good. We have magnificent teachers. The teachers at Coolidge love the students, and make
many sacrifices for them. But, we are overlooked because of our façade.”
"La condición física de la escuela. Se está cayendo a pedazos! Cuando los estudiantes tienen que elegir entre ir a
Roosevelt o Coolidge, la mayoría de ellos elegir Roosevelt debido al edificio remodelado. No es que nuestro personal
docente no es bueno. Tenemos magníficos maestros. Los maestros en Coolidge aman los estudiantes, y hacen muchos
sacrificios para ellos. Sin embargo, no se nos tiene a causa de nuestra fachada ".
6. Have you ever wanted to give up on teaching? ¿Alguna vez ha querido renunciar a la enseñanza?
“Never! There hasn’t been a student, or challenge that I couldn’t handle.”
"¡Nunca! No ha sido un estudiante, o un desafío que no podía manejar ".
7. If you could speak any other language, what would it be?
Si se pudiera hablar cualquier otro idioma, ¿cuál sería?
“Japanese. It is very similar to Spanish in context to pronunciation.”
"japonés. Es muy similar a la española en el contexto de pronunciación ".
8. How hard was it to teach while going through your battle with cancer?
¿Qué tan difícil fue para enseñar al pasar por su batalla con el cáncer?
“It was obviously very hard. Nevertheless, the whole school rallied around me and gave me a lot of support.
The principle (Dr. Jackson) helped arrange my schedule so that I wouldn’t have classes in the afternoon, to
accommodate my doctors’ appointments.”
"Obviamente, fue muy duro. Sin embargo, toda la escuela se reunieron alrededor de mí y me dio mucho apoyo.
El principio (Dr. Jackson) ayudó a organizar mi horario para que no tendría clases por la tarde, para dar cabida a las
citas mis médicos ".
9. What do you love about teaching? ¿Qué te gusta de la enseñanza?
“I love impacting peoples lives, and making a difference within my students. Spanish can provide my students
with so many opportunities to better their future.”
"Me encanta impactar vida de las personas, y hacer una diferencia dentro de mis estudiantes. Español puede proporcionar a
mis alumnos con tantas oportunidades para mejorar su futuro ".
10. What is on thing that a stranger wouldn’t know about you? ¿Cuál es el cosa que un extraño no sabría acerca de usted?
“I make jewelry, earrings, rings, and necklaces. I’m very crafty.” "Hago joyas, pendientes, anillos y collares. Estoy muy astuta."

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