bff final

issue 01
BFF
april 2017

BFF, issue 01
april 2017
by christina stoever

did we just become best friends?
BFF is here for you. carry us in your backpack, keep us on your nightstand,
read us during lectures, peruse through us while you take a bath, share our
secrets with your girlfriends. we believe that girls need to stick together,
and we want to educate and promote a freedom of expression, whether it
concerns our bodies or our lives. while the female experience is constantly
under scrutinization, we strive to shift that focus onto the high impacts
being made by ladies everywhere.
02

what’s
the issue?
04
thanks a lot
05
contributors
06
get to know
class act; stuff
that inspires those
who inspire.
24
guide to
birth control. an
in depth look into
your options.
26
chime in
our experiences
with contraceptives.
28
code red
red alert: periods
suck. these are our
monthly essentials.
30
hey qt
jump into spring
with a cult classic.
36
take me there
i <3 new york;
must see places +
faces by leah.
38
note to self
“sorrows + growth”
by nikoleta.
40
diary
girls on film by
christina.
44
mixtape
“personal best” by
shelby.
46
editor’s note
03

thanks a lot
amina vanderhyde
model, photographer, strawberry
doughnut fanatic.
instagram:
@sloth.bitch
anna konson
model, designer, devoted cat mom.
instagram:
@annakonson_
elyse marcinkowski
model, advertising designer,
self-proclaimed ‘uncomfortable
amount of mcdonalds cheeseburgers
stuffed into a pair of oversized
jeans’.
instagram:
@elysemarcinkowski
reed nowels
model, advertising designer,
bathroom enthusiast.
instagram:
@rdnwls
stevie miller
model, advertising designer, sensational
girl wonder.
instagram:
@stevieemillerr
tyler unger
graphic designer, 10/10 boyfriend.
instagram:
@tiglett_tickles
04

contributors
madison koster
“moonwalking color queen”
photography featured on pg.34.
instagram:
@photosrcoolman
shelby seay
“confused, lost person and aspiring
witch”
interview on pg. 14 + mixtape featured
on pg. 44.
instagram:
@shelbyseay
leah wendzinski
“i won’t correct you if you pronounce
it like ‘leia’”
interview on pg.08 + photography
featured on pg. 36.
instagram:
@leahwendzinski
ila mindell
“i <3 dildos”
photography featured on pg. 32.
instagram:
@ilamindell
nikoleta vatiqi
“lost soul filled with poison and
hope”
writing featured on pg. 38.
instagram:
@nikoletavatiqi_
rita lin
“dance dance revolution is my
life”
illustrations featured on pg. 29.
instagram:
@reetzbeetz
05

class act
get to know
06

meet the girlbosses
making waves in the world of art
school and beyond, these detroit
based artists are changing the
game as we know it. photographed by
christina stoever.
07

get to know
leah
wendzinski
08

what do u do + why?
i started playing around with photography
when i was in 6th or 7th grade
with a chunky film camera my parents
gave me. graphic design came into my
life when i was in my sophomore year
of high school when i realized that
there was a medium I could work in
where i could combine my love for photography
and turn it into something
more. i was obsessed with magazines,
posters, album covers, etc. and when
an opportunity came up junior year
to go to a career center for half of
the day, everyday i jumped on it and
started to learn how to use all of the
adobe programs.
inspirations?
prominent, successful female designers
and photographers. my friends and
their work - not just art school kids
either, my best friend is a social
worker and she inspires me the most.
thinking back on personal experiences
and growth. listening to people talk
about what they love. running. 2001:
a space odyssey.
what’s on ur playlist?
eye’s drift - archy marshall
bizarre love triangle - new order fatalist
palmistry - why?
hello operator - the white stripes
modern girl - sleater-kinney
anything by morrissey
fave part about being a girl?
recently it has been the girl + girl
support i have been seeing online
and in real life. the support and
solidarity i have observed in recent
years, months even, is something i
never felt, saw or participated in
growing up. it’s so motivating and
inspiring.
favorite things:
my record player. grids. sushi. dirty
chai lattes. recently, baby cows.
tell us a secret:
i have no fucking clue what i’m doing
lol
where do u call home?
technically speaking, dearborn, michigan
but it has been detroit for the
last 4 years. i think chicago or nyc
are calling me to make them my new
home.
09

get to know
amina
vanderhyde
10

what do u do + why?
i’m a bi-racial pro-black marxist who
loves doughnuts :~) i started taking
pictures in 7th grade (2007) because
i found that i was able to create narratives
and express emotion that way.
inspirations?
my peers at school, my friends, nature,
the sun, my dad, just anything
that i can live and experience tbh be
it good or bad.
favorite things:
doughnuts, my dog, all dogs, the
color yellow, the sun and hot humid
climates, smashing misogyny noir and
trans misogyny and just general misogyny
lol, my curls, the nails on my
pinky and ring finger, punching fascists
in the fucking teeth, learning
about things, strawberry flavored
things, using moisturizer, equal
rights for minorities, water, identity
visibility, plants (even though
i can’t keep them alive), and sleeping
for 14 hours at a time-- just to
name a few.
ocean recently, then lil uzi vert,
alex g, ALWAYS sade, and also the
lijadu sisters (their track ‘coming
home’ is my current life anthem).
fave part about being a girl?
i like being a “girl” bc there is
a bond i feel with femmes, other
cis-women, and trans-women to come
together to defend and protect each
other from a patriarchal society, and
in cis-women’s case defend and protect
people from our own toxic gender
socialization and binarism (?) that
we tend to push onto others (if that
makes any sense????).
tell us a secret:
?????? uhhh i have a crush on dwayne
the rock johnson?
where do u call home?
i don’t currently call anywhere home,
i am constantly walking the line of
all my identities so it’s hard to pinpoint....
but i guess my bed? my bed
is home.
what’s on ur playlist?
i’ve been listening to A LOT of frank
11

get to know
anna
konson
12

what do u do + why?
i like to call myself a designer. i
don’t like to get too specific because
i’m pretty widespread in my interests.
i’ve always liked making stuff
and drawing. i’ve been pretty creative
for as long as i can remember.
i took art classes throughout middle
and high school, but at the time it
was mostly for shits and gigs. eventually,
i realized that i was super
passionate about art and design and
i loved to learn about it. at that
point, i just started churning out
projects that sort of helped me refine
what i was interested in. it’s
changed over time, constantly. i’m a
product design major, and i’m about
to graduate, but now i’m finding i’m
more inclined toward graphic design.
i think it’s always going to change;
i’m not a very stable person in my
interests.
inspirations?
the 80’s, definitely. i love everything
about it. the design aesthetic,
the materials used, film, music,
i can keep going. everything reminds
me of sunsets. people did stuff for
the sake of doing it, but in such an
appealing way. i love reading old typography
books and industrial design
catalogues to find details i can incorporate
into my own work.
favorite things:
my favorite thing ever is the simpsons,
my favorite season of the simpsons
is season 4, and my favorite
simpsons character is hank scorpio.
where do u call home?
home is a strange concept for me.
there’s so much difference between
where i was born, where my family is
from, and where i’ve lived. i think i
feel most at home when i’m camping.
being outside feels warm and cozy.
what’s on ur playlist?
i’ve actually been listening to a lot
of CDs. i only have about 3 gigs of
data for the month so i try to not
stream music while i’m in my car,
which is where i listen to music the
most. in my center console, i have
three morrissey albums, two depeche
mode albums, one new order album
and one system of a down album. i’ve
been cycling through those for a few
months now.
fave part about being a girl?
i love girl love. like, i love posting
a selfie on twitter and getting true
compliments from other girls, i love
that any girl will tell you there’s
something in your teeth, and i feel
comfortable talking about some sexist
jerk with girlfriends. i just love
the sense of community among girls.
tell us a secret:
i fall out of my bed at least three
times a week on accident because i
just don’t pay attention.
13

get to know
shelby
seay
14

what do u do + why?
i started doing graphic design my
junior year of high school. almost
5 years ago. i was pretty much set
on being a fashion designer my whole
life. i was ready to take a fashion
merchandising class at my school
district’s career center, and with a
little influence from my dad, i decided
to take a chance with the digital
imaging class. and here i am :-)
inspirations?
i love seeing people’s ideas expressed
through film. movies, music
videos, whatever. there is so much
to be appreciated about being able to
convey ideas, messages, and emotions
through something you can just simply
sit down and watch. i think some of
the times i’m most inspired is after
watching a really good movie. i’ll
sit and make lists of everything i
want to do that’s been inspired by
the movie. personal things i want to
accomplish, and things i want to do
with my art. oh and pinterest.
favorite things:
my bed, the tv show Lost, matthew gray
gubler, chocolate twizzlers, cats
cats cats, the 1975, harry potter,
flowers flowers flowers (i used to be
a design assistant to a florist and
i miss it every day), ferris bueller’s
day off, big cities, but also
camping, adam j. kurtz, books, rookie
(mag), my friends, the scream movies,
this list could go on forever.
where do u call home?
at the moment i call home my parent’s
house in Livonia. it’s got a nice fire
place and my cats and my idiot dog
and my family. that’s my literal answer.
my deep answer is inspired by
a keychain i have hanging from the
zipper on my favorite leather jacket
which says “home is not a place but
you are home.” it’s something i’ve
been trying to think about more lately,
and to me that means relying on
yourself, and finding refuge in what
you can do for you, rather than what
other people can do for you, because
you are pretty much the only constant
you have in your life.
what’s on ur playlist?
(see pg. 44)
fave part about being a girl?
my favorite part about being a girl
is probably the luxury of being able
to be a sensitive person and not being
told to go play football and man
up. sorry boys #girlrootingforsensitiveboys.
and i mean, clothes. i love
clothes. i love shopping. i am not
ashamed.
tell us a secret:
one time (recently) a doctor thought
i was a boy and i honestly don’t blame
her.
15

get to know
stevie
miller
16

what do u do + why?
i have always been interested in art
throughout my life, and have been
painting and drawing since i was a
child. i started advertising design
when i started here at CCS. i didn’t
know that advertising was what i wanted
to do, it just seemed interesting
when i decided to go into this field.
it was definitely the best decision i
could have made, because i absolutely
love what i do.
tell us a secret:
i stick my hands in my pants in public
to pick my wedgie WAY TOO OFTEN.
where do u call home?
my apartment in detroit, but also
my mom’s house on grosse ile.
inspirations?
everything inspires me. people, the
world around me, art in general inspire
me all the time, and always
keeps me thinking and bringing inspiration
to my own thoughts and work.
favorite things:
english muffins, peanut butter, socks,
shoes, art, online shopping, my mom,
wine, cheese, milk.
what’s on ur playlist?
oh god. i have a lot of jack johnson,
fergie, bruno mars, vance joy, and A
LOT of oldies but goodies.
fave part about being a girl?
the clothes, makeup, free drinks at
the bar, and girls just have more fun.
17

get to know
reed
nowels
18

what do u do + why?
my dad worked in photo production and
my mom is a writer, so taking photos
and telling stories was kind of always
a thing i did. i’m studying advertising
because i want to get other
people’s stories told too.
tell us a secret:
one time i closed my finger in a car
door so i went inside a mexican
restaurant to get a breakfast burrito
and a bandaid but when i went to the
bathroom i looked down at the blood,
fainted, and then peed myself.
where do u call home?
i grew up in los angeles and moved to
detroit 4 years ago so i guess home is
a lil of both.
inspirations?
talking to my mom, trees, people
watching.
favorite things:
the word “yikes”, the irish jig at
2:05 of c’est la vie, gummy vities,
chicken and potatoes, sunny days.
what’s on ur playlist?
which playlist? i have this one
called “essential teen pop” and it
has b*witched on it.
fave part about being a girl?
confidence is three times as powerful
as a girl because it’s three times
harder to gain.
19

get to know
elyse
marcinkowski
20

what do u do + why?
in high school i started experimenting
with film and motion graphics and
photography and loved finding ways to
combine them to promote a message that
kept people’s attention (honestly at
the time it was about making low budget
promo videos for my school/local
businesses).
fave part about being a girl?
my favorite part about being a girl
is PMS.
tell us a secret:
i cried when avril lavigne became
preppy (age: 10)
where do u call home?
home is a place where i can shower
with the bathroom door open.
inspirations?
i am inspired by agencies that use
advertising to challenge social norms
and promote inclusivity to deliver
a brand message. it’s important now
more than ever for brands to recognize
how influential and powerful
their platform is, and it inspires me
to see them putting it to good use.
favorite things:
butter, boufford (my bun), jackets
that have inner pockets.
what’s on ur playlist?
this question has taken me 20 minutes
to decide (existential crisis).
reccently i’ve been listening to a
combo of defying gravity (wicked) and
a tribe called quest.
21

sex ed
sex ed
17 22

not your mom’s sex ed class.
going beyond the sugar coated mumbo
jumbo you heard in 6th grade health
class that you probably forgot all
about anyway!
18 23

sex ed
guide 2
birth control
a comprehensive guide to some of the most effective forms of birth control.
written + illustrated by christina stoever
how it works:
releases hormones that
keep your ovaries from
releasing eggs, thickens
cervical mucus to block
sperm. simply take a pill
once a day at the same time
every single day.
a tiny, t-shaped device
placed in the uterus that
releases either hormones
or copper to make sperm
inable to fertilize an
egg. hormonal iud lasts
for up to 6 years while
the copper iud lasts up
to 10.
a latex or non-latex cap
that covers your partner’s
disco stick, preventing
pregnancy and lowering the
risk of STI’s.
upsides:
lighter + more predictable
periods, option to skip
period if desired, doesn’t
interrupt heat of moment,
may reduce acne, cramps,
+ PMS.
long lasting protection,
non-hormonal option available,
doesn’t interrupt
heat of the moment, may
lighten/eliminate period,
litle to no effort in
keeping up with.
cheap and easy to get,
usually no side effects,
protects against STI’s +
HIV.
downsides:
sore breasts, nausea,
change in sex drive, spotting.
cramps, increased period
flow, spotting between periods,
backaches.
incompatible with people
with a latex allergy, may
not be attainable last
minute or in heat of the
moment.
cost:
$15 - $113.
free with medicaid and
most insurances.
$0 - $932.
free with medicaid and
most insurances. monthly
plans are available otherwise.
around $1 for a single
condom, or around $6 for a
box. free at many clinics.
effectiveness:
99% - perfect use
91% - typical use
greater than 99%
98% - perfect use
82% - typical use
24

a small, flexible ring gets
inserted into your lady
part. it releases hormones
that keep your ovaries
from releasing eggs +
thickens cervical mucus.
gets left in for 3 weeks
+ taken out the 4th week.
for those who can’t take
estrogen, this is an injection
that prevents
pregnancy and keeps you
covered for 3 full months!
a teensy tiny rod that goes
under the skin in your upper
arm. it releases hormones
to prevent pregnancy
for up to 4 years.
a tiny, square band-aid
- esque patch that gives
off hormones to prevent
your ovaries from releasing
eggs.
easy to use, may lighten
periods, can help with
acne, may reduce cramps
+ PMS.
easy to use, may lighten
periods, private, doesn’t
interrupt heat of the moment,
effective, lasts for
3 months.
private, no effort needed
after getting it inserted,
doesn’t interrupt heat of
the moment, safe for those
with diabetes + hypertension,
fewer/lighter periods,
may improve PMS, depression,
+ endometriosis.
easy to use, may lighten
periods, can help reduce
acne, cramps, + pms, might
help make periods more
predictable.
tender breasts, nausea,
change in sex drive, increased
vaginal dischage/
irritation/infection,
spotting.
irregular bleeding, change
in appetite + potential
weight gain, depression,
change in sex drive,
headaches, nausea, sore
breasts.
irregular bleeding, acne,
change in appetite + sex
drive, depression, nausea,
tender boobs, headaches,
hair loss, pain/scar at
implant site.
nausea, spotting, tender
breasts, change in sex
drive, irritation where
patch sits.
$30 - 75.
free with medicaid and
most insurances.
$50 - 120.
free with medicaid and
most insurances.
$450 - $848, but can be
paid monthly or yearly.
free with medicaid and
most insurances.
$30 - $44.
free with medicaid and
most insurances.
99% - perfect use
91% - typical use
99% - perfect use
94% - typical use
greater than 99%
99% - perfect use
91% - typical use
25

sex ed
code red
chime in
the inside scoop on how girls like you take care of their sexual health.
15 - 19
20 - 24
25 - 29+
22% are
not fully
covered,
but have
access.
5% of women have
no coverage or
access.
73% of women
have full coverage
+ access.
26

go to www.plannedparenthood.org to find your
nearest clinic. no insurance necessary.
27

code red
sex ed
got you covered - here’s what gets us through that time of the month.
illustrated by rita lin
28

pads
let’s be real, these are the
female edition of a socially
acceptable diaper. not hating
tho, they get the job done.
tampons
this is a no-brainer, tampons
are actually a woman’s best
friend. human friendly version
of a cork. may also be used to
stop nosebleeds.
diva cup
another blood absorbing device.
it’s essentially a cup
that goes right inside ya and
catches blood right from the
source. beat that, aquafina.
over the counter painkillers
hello cramps, my old friends.
ibuprofen or tylenol will help
eliminate all of the bad feels
your uterus and ovaries are
bringing about. take in moderation.
heating pad
because who wouldn’t want a
soft blanket pumping warmth
onto the flesh covering your reproductive
organs...?
sweatpants
anyone who’s ever had their
period will tell you that any
other pair of pants are unnecessary
during this time, period.
no pun intended.
old undies
if you haven’t bled through a
pair of new underwear at some
point in your lifetime, you
haven’t lived. also, you are
probably lying.
29

hey qt
hey qt
30

denim daze
spring is here! kinda. time to
retire from your fave puffy coat
and break out that trusty jean
jacket once again. photographed
by ila mindell + madison koster.
31

by ila mindell
hey qt
model: naomi blakely
32

33
naomi is wearing a vintage levi’s jacket, american
apparel button-up blouse, BDG boyfriend jeans,
van’s, and her own belt.

by madison koster
hey qt
model: morgan parker
morgan is wearing a new york yankees jersey shirt and a true religion denim jacket.
34

arynn is wearing a brandy melville hat,
madewell denim jacket, zara jeans, and a
thrifted t-shirt.
model: arynn hans
35

take me there
breakfast worth the wait:
jimmy’s diner
577 Union Ave
new york
i love you,
but you’re bringing me down.
photographed by leah wendzinski
bagel spot:
tompkins square bagels
165 Ave A
food for herbivores:
by CHLOE.
185 Bleecker Street
most legit slice of pizza:
anna maria pizza
179 Bedford Ave
dessert to skip your diet for:
fortunato’s
289 Manhattan Ave
+
dominique ansel bakery
189 Spring St
midnight munchies:
literally any bodega deli
stores we love:
in god we trust
129 Bedford Ave
glossier
123 Lafayette St
dashwood books
33 Bond St #A
regular visitors
149 Smith St
36

museums that inspire us:
whitney museum of american art
99 Gansevoort St; $18*
museum of modern art
11 W 53rd St; $14*
cooper hewitt
2 E 91st St; $5*
the guggenheim
1071 5th Ave; $18*
*with student ID
explore here:
smorgasburg
every sat + sun, 11am-6pm;
90 Kent Ave
brooklyn bridge park
334 Furman St
chelsea market
75 9th Ave
the high line
820 Washington St
37

sorrows & growth
note to self
by nikoleta vatiqi
heartbroken
the first time i met you, i knew you
were something special. after that
day, i hadn’t seen you for a week
but you still sometimes crossed my
mind. all of a sudden i kept seeing
you everywhere and you consumed my
mind even more. i remember the first
time we kissed, our breathes tasted
like red wine and we stood at the
top of a water tower overlooking the
city. it felt sincere, it felt real.
you told me how you had been searching
for something to fill the void
and that i completed you. i felt all
warm and fuzzy inside. that feeling
still lingers on me. they say a fire
that burns twice as bright, burns
half as long. we never wanted to
stop kissing each other, it felt
addictive. sometimes i didn’t want
to do anything besides to be with
you, and i loved it so much because
you felt the same exact way. that
was the first time i felt loved and
it was taken away from me so abruptly.
i will never forget when things
started to slowly crumble right in
front of me. you started to look at me
differently, and i didn’t know why,
but i felt something wasn’t the same.
i wanted everything to stay the way
it was just for a little while longer.
all of a sudden, you completely
disappeared from my life without any
hesitation. it felt like i was taken
into a dark room and had my heart
ripped out of my chest without any
remorse. now we are only strangers
with memories, and every time i pass
you my heart still sinks.
38

love thyself [work in progress]
i believe depression and loneliness
brings out the best in us, and as we
learn to love our solitude, that is
when we begin to see where we stand as
a humans and our purpose in this life.
throughout all my experiences, if i
had not endured any of them, i would
not be the person
i am today. i was always bitter growing
up because i felt like life always
gave me the shitty end of the stick,
and i wasn’t able to find what was
missing in my life. i wanted to fill
that void at first through finding love
but when that didn’t work to my favor,
i gave up and i turned to drugs to fill
that void instead. being numb was the
only thing that
i was able to latch onto during that
point, and sometimes it still is. i’m
still learning that i don’t need anything
to fill the emptiness besides
learning to love my inner self. the
first step to this process is understanding
and accepting. i’m learning
that my happiness shouldn’t be reflected
off of another person’s undertaking.
all of my life i have been
worried about wanting to find someone
to love and to be accepted, that i
became blinded to it. this is still
a work in progress but i’m learning
to love myself so much more intensely
and learn to fill my emptiness in a
less toxic way.
39

girls on film
diary
entry by christina stoever
40

41

diary
42

43

curated and illustrated by shelby seay
mixtape
44

“my playlist is for when you have a
place to yourself, so you can play
your music out loud, and let it fill
the space you’re in and you can just
exist with it. it’s called personal
best because that’s the first song on
it, and also because i think it’s a
relevant title for where i’m at right
now in my life, and how the playlist
makes me feel. i’m just trying to figure
out who i am and what i’m doing
and i’m trying to reach my personal
best. even though that’s hard to do
and i think we all are aware of that
fact. idk man it’s just a hodge podge
(is hodge podge a thing idk) of songs
that i kind of relate to and i hope
you can too! it’s got 2 of the 1975’s
songs on it bc i can’t help myself,
some ethereal shit, 2 film scores, and
a breakup song (which i designed the
cover art for and it’s by my friend
jake and i like it check it out) so i
think it’s pretty well rounded and i
hope u like it.”
45

editor’s note
BFF is a project i created as an
effort to unify girls through a variety of
shared experiences they can relate to and
learn from. growing up as a female has opened
my eyes up to the multitude of ways women have
been undermined by society, and i can’t help
but cringe during this time where females
continue to remain “unequal” to their male
counterparts. in a time where women’s opportunities
and rights continue to be limited
and questioned, it is essential that girls
build each other up, support one another, and
proceed with strength to further make a change
in our world.
as i continue to experience life as
a woman, i’m constantly learning how special
the female experience truly is. while i can’t
fully sum it up in words alone, i strive
to capture it in photographs. with my work
steering away from the male gaze, i’m always
trying to exemplify girlhood in its most honest
and pure states. for me, life as a girl
is more than the color pink and maintaining a
beautiful appearance for the sole purpose of
attracting a man. instead, i would define my
girlhood as a constant learning experience;
it is a never-ending bonding session with my
girlfriends, it is working hard to achieve
every single one of my goals without any fear
of my gender getting in the way, it is wedging
my way into a handful of situations without
having to second guess my self worth, it is
accepting the reality in which i live in, and
relentlessly emphasizing the truth in the art
i produce.
while putting together this first issue,
i was fueled with so much excitement when
i thought about making it an entirely collaborative
platform that would showcase the
outstanding work created by my lady friends.
i’m already flooded with overwhelming inspiration
by my friends and peers on a daily
basis, so i thought, why not share this with
the world? every single person that i’ve met
at art school has influenced the way i see life
around me, not only with their art that speaks
volumes, but also with their unique perspectives
and stories that i’ve been lucky enough
to hear all about.
even though this magazine only includes
the work of females, by no means does
it exclude anyone from reading BFF. in fact,
it is an attempt to provide every person,
no matter what gender you identify as, with
a sincere insight into the remarkable lives
that females lead. no fabrication here. we
want to break away from the expectations that
have been engrained into society for ages.
we aim to progress towards reshaping the existing
assumptions revolving around women,
and simply shift them into enlightened and
refreshed outlooks.
lastly, anyone who identifies as a
female is highly encouraged to submit their
work, as i plan on making this an ongoing
project. it was an absolute blast to delve
into the personal lives of the females in this
issue, and i want to continue to learn from
and inform this growing and loving community.
send any and all words, creations, thoughts
or ideas to christinastoever13@gmail.com.
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