By: Nikki Stibal

About this time last year I moved to Australia for a semester of college. The six months passed quickly and I had the time of my life. One of the best parts was meeting so many different people who had completely different cultural backgrounds, lifestyles and opinions than what I was used to. It was a beautiful and enlightening experience.

Among these new people I met, I had the privilege of getting to know a passionate girl named Anusha. Anusha has experienced many many things in this world, having lived in a couple different countries including Australia, India, Sweden and Europe in general. Upon returning home to the US she asked me to be a part of an online fashion magazine she wanted to start.

What started as an Australian adventure turned into one of the greatest projects I have ever had the privilege of being a part of.

It has been three months since the beginning of AKN, and today, Monday December 13^th we are launching a new layout to celebrate what started as a small collection of blog posts into a global web-zine.

The site’s mission statement focuses around the freedom of speech

“AKN-weekly & ‘My word, My freedom, My speech‘ is focused on the importance of every souls right to speak. This online magazine will contain everything from featured stories about current events, to our amazing writers own thoughts and experiences. Every person has a chance to step up and tell us at AKN-weekly, ‘My word, My freedom, My speech’, what they believe in or feel passionate about! We believe that everyone of you has something to say!”

 

 

The site features writers from 8 different countries and is read in 253 cities around the world, 26 countries including Australia, Asia, Africa, North & Central America, and Europe.

The webzine now focuses on various issues from everyday triumphs to issues with self esteem and other serious issues that affect the world. One issue in particular the site is dedicated to is the “little project” that is Anusha’s brain child to help out orphans in India.

The webzine has big plans ahead and I for one am excited to see where it goes in the future.

For more information/reading check out the site at http://aknweekly.com/

By: Nikki Stibal

Flashing red lights call out on the bright sunny Sunday afternoon of November 7^th broadcasting the phrase “Keep a Song in Your Heart- Lawrence Welk”. People from all around flocked in their Sunday best towards the Ramada Plaza Suites Ballroom for the long awaited Lawrence Welk Gala hosted by the Fargo Moorhead Jazz Arts Ensemble.

The event, which had a surprisingly well turnout, consisted of a 26 song set list from the Lawrence Welk Show preformed by the Jazz Arts Ensemble accompanied by various performers from the community including professors like Dr. David Ferreira from Concordia College and Dr. Kyle Mack from NDSU. The gala itself was put on to honor the life and achievements of a man who affected so many people.

Welk was born in Strasburg North Dakota in 1903. At the age of 21 he decided to pursue music as a career and left the family farm behind. He preformed with a couple various bands until he finally formed his own orchestra. Over time the orchestra toured and became widely known. This led to the ABC network giving Welk his own show.

The Lawrence Welk Show started out airing locally in 1951 and five years later was broadcast nationally. The program was a musical variety show that featured big band music. The show aired from 1951 to 1982 and has over a thousand episodes. The show itself became a staple of American culture and many were sad when Welk retired from the show in the early 80s.

Welk lived a successful life; being a pop culture icon, happily married and had a thriving family and business. Welk died in 1992 at the age of 89 from pneumonia. His family along with the FM Jazz Arts, threw this gala in his memory.

Those who came were treated to some of his greatest hits while being able to see some of his old memorabilia including his accordion, played by former first lady of North Dakota Nancy Jones Schafer, and his iconic baton that he directed all of his shows with.

Happy nostalgia set over the crowd and they enjoyed the afternoon, honoring things both present and past all in the name of a man who helped shape the American society and taught us all to keep a song in our hearts.

The Jazz Arts Ensemble is putting on other events later this year starting in late January. For more information check out www.JazzArtsFM.com

‘He looked deeply into the mirror at himself as he trimmed his facial hair. Since hearing the news of his father’s cancer his life had changed drastically. The world he knew was crumbling and all he had to rely on it all was facial hair. This facial cut he had come to love so much represented how he felt, who he was. He wore it with style and it raised money for the person he loved most in life; his dad.’

Fashion is about making a statement, showing off your individuality along with your personal interests and passions. However an aspect of fashion that is often overlooked is statement as fashion. Unfortunately tragedies do happen in life but there are ways to fight, to endure. The real question is: As a general populace do we do enough to support those in need? Do we donate time or money?

Obviously we are not all millionaires. We don’t always have copious amounts of time to donate for the betterment of others. We live in the real world. Time is money.

The best way to donate that I can think of (other than the aforementioned resources) is to donate your image.

I realize this may seem like a strange idea, but let me explain.  There are many organizations out there that stand simply to raise awareness by wearing certain t-shirts, words, colors or even hair styles. From awareness we can further affect the world in positive ways; it takes that first thread of knowledge and support.

One of my favorite organizations really shines in the month of November; or as they like to call it Mo-vember. Many of us have heard of ‘No shave November’ but these men don’t just simply sprout hair to connect with their aesthetic man hood. Instead they do it to support cancer research.

The Australian native organization states that:

 

Each year Movember is responsible for the sprouting of mustaches on thousands of men’s faces in Australia and around the world, with the sole aim of raising vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and depression in men.

Men sporting Movember mustaches, known as Mo Bros, become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November and through their actions and words raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health.

Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo growing efforts. The rules are simple; register online at Movember.com and start the month of Movember clean shaven, before growing a Mo.

Money raised in Australia is shared equally between programs targeting prostate cancer and male depression. Funds are committed to our men’s health partners, the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue – the national depression initiative and the Movember Foundation. Together, the three channels work to ensure that Movember funds are supporting a broad range of innovative, world class programs in the fields of research, education, support, and awareness

http://us.movember.com/

The mustache craze has crossed seas and is gaining support every day. Some professional athletes have even taken up the cause like Minnesota’s own professional hockey team The Wild.

Okay so if mustaches aren’t your thing; the Mobro’s are not the only fashion organization. Another organization that is close to my heart is To Write Love On Her Arms. The organization started in 2006 to tell a story about a girl named Renee who was struggling to fight her demons. Overall the movement has a very positive message; one of love.

To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.  TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

http://www.twloha.com/

Over the years they have responded to 150,000 messages from people in 40 different countries. Talk about changing lives.

TWLOHA sells a lot of t-shirts and are supported by a great deal of bands including but not limited to Boys Like Girls, OneRepublic, the members of Paramore, Jon Foreman from Switchfoot, Sean from The Blackout, Derek Sanders from Mayday Parade, Deon Rexroat from Anberlin, Amy Lee from Evanescence, Bryce Avary from The Rocket Summer, Miley Cyrus, Casey Calvert from Hawthorne Heights, Kevin Skaff from A Day To Remember and Brendon Urie and Ryan Ross from Panic at the Disco.

However my favorite way to donate my image for this organization is during what has been deemed as ‘TWLOHA Week’. September 10^th through the 17^th of every year many write in big bold letters the word ‘LOVE’ on their arms to show support. Some also celebrate November 13^th as TWLOHA day (doing the same thing).

Obviously these are not the only organizations out there. Wearing pink for breast cancer, the Lance Armstrong ‘livestrong’ bracelets, they are all statements. The things we care about, the parts of life we wish to preserve. Find something beyond yourself to love, to care about, ultimately something to embrace. There are many causes out there that could use your support. And for some reason, if there isn’t start one. Love is a movement. With enough effort and support who knows what the future could hold. So the question is, what do you care about?

The vision is that we actually believe these things…

You were created to love and be loved.  You were meant to live life in relationship with other people, to know and be known. You need to know that your story is important and that you’re part of a bigger story.  You need to know that your life matters.

We live in a difficult world, a broken world.  My friend Byron is very smart – he says that life is hard for most people most of the time.  We believe that everyone can relate to pain, that all of us live with questions, and all of us get stuck in moments.  You need to know that you’re not alone in the places you feel stuck.

-To Write Love on Her Arms

–Nikki Stibal