We bet you can’t find interns doper than ours? From bomb interviews to fresh write-ups, our squad is covering a variety of topics for C.O.R.E mag this summer so stay tuned! Meet our amazing crew from Bela High School in Brooklyn!

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CORE Crew Roll Call: Aiyana Lockley, A’Yanna Rouse, Ifeoma Afugbuom, Kiarra Charlemagne, Lynara Richards, Mariam Sikiru, Rosalie Bobbett, Uriah Denham

(Ifeoma Afugbuom + Mariam Sikiru)

What is your dream job and why?

Ifeoma: I want to be an ER Surgeon because I’ve seen how brave they are especially in the times of this pandemic. I also want to be apart of the community that saves lives.

Mariam: I aspire to be an Urban Planner. I want to become an Urban Planner because I want to help people and become more involved in the neighborhood and the building of neighborhoods.

Which hobbies do you enjoy?

Ifeoma: I like singing and dancing to my favorite songs. I love to play sports and be mentally and physically fit.

Mariam: I enjoy knitting, crocheting, photography, exercising,and partaking in commentary of topics that intrigue me.

(Lynara Richards + A’Yanna Rouse)

What are your plans after high school?

Lynara: After high school I will be attending college. I plan to attend nursing school and study to become a Nurse Practitioner specifically in the neonatal department.

A’Yanna: My plans is to go to college and get my master degree in Information Systems and Cybersecurity as double majors. Then get my dream job and save enough money to buy my dream house and car.

Who is your biggest crush?

Lynara: My biggest crush would definitely be Rome Flynn.

A’Yanna: My biggest crush is BTS’s Jin.

(Rosalie Bobbett + Uriah Denham)

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

Rosalie: One thing I would change in this world is racism.

Uriah: If I could change one thing about the world it would be racism still existing. Or the cold hearts that people have in the world.

What does empowerment mean to you?

Rosalie: Empowerment means to me is someone of common difference uplifting one another.

Uriah: Empowerment means to me the authority of something. Or power given to someone to do something. But some people take advantage of what empowerment really means. When you have empowerment I feel like this is a chance to lead by example and be an idol for everyone else. Not abuse the purpose of it. It’s a chance for you to change things.

What’s your fave song on repeat right now?

Rosalie: Just Another Part  of Me ~ Michael Jackson

Uriah: Currently, I do not have a favorite song at the moment.

(Aiyana Lockley + Kiarra Charlemagne)

How have you helped someone in your life lately?

Aiyanna: A way that I have helped someone in my life lately was by giving someone who needed a hug a hug.

Kiarra: A way that I have helped someone is by standing up for others and sharing advice.

Who is your role model and why?

Aiyanna: My role model is my mother because she has always pushed me to succeed. She has gone through so much and the fact that she still works hard and never gave up is truly incredible to me. Without her
I feel like I would be so lost and clueless which is why she is my role model.

Kiarra: My role model is myself due to the fact that I imagine myself one day as being successful and not listening  to the others who bring me down/ I will rise above and live the life I always wanted to live!

We warned you, they’re SQUAD GOALS!

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Dripping in chic, wrapped in bohemian flare + topped with powerful statements, are all the ingredients poured into each piece created by Brooklyn-based celebrity designer, Ashaka Givens!

From dressing the most influential creatives in the culture to fashion mavens, she has married style + detail into her passion of design! Givens’ love affair with fashion began in high school where she intuitively taught herself how to design women’s clothing and produced her own runway shows! She went on to study fashion design at Buffalo State College and spent a leg of her time there as a student at the Manchester Metropolitan University in England. It was abroad where she honed her tailoring techniques and studied couture design. She further developed her signature style think “funk-meets-sophistication” at the Fashion Institute of Technology, graduating with the class of 1996.

The New York native designs have not only been featured on the runways of Mercedez Benz Fashion Week but have also dressed + created custom pieces for tastemakers such as singer Erykah Badu, rapper/actor Common, rapper Missy Elliot, singer Raphael Saadiq, The Roots’ funky drummer, ?uestlove, and Kenyan artist Wangechi Mutu! Givens continues to showcase her authentic artistry while giving women the gift of beauty and confidence each and every day!

Our C.O.R.E interns had a chance to chat with designer, Ashaka Givens! Let’s get to know her a little better…

What do you hope to achieve by creating your clothing line?

I hope to make women feel empowered and confident in the things that they wear even if it’s a hat, a dress, whatever it may be, I want them to feel strong and beautiful because that’s what we should feel every day!

How do you reflect your own individuality (along with your clients‘) in the items that you create?

It’s all in how you cut [the fabric]. I always have my hand in the way something drapes or fits on an individual’s body. There’s always a sense of my passion for life and for femininity and for even a little bit of romance woven into my designs.

What are the biggest names you’ve designed for?

Erykah Badu, Wangechi Mutu, a famous artist whose pieces are in the MoMa, the Tate, and a lot of other art museums.

Some others are Common, Raphael Saadiq, and TLC.  Working with people who are worldwide has been a huge honor. There’s so many, but thankfully they have all been incredible and I had an amazing time with all of them. I’ve never had any complaints working with any of them. It’s been a blessing!

How do you keep up with society while also maintaining your style?

Staying in touch with the youth. I ask questions such as “So who’s inspiring you now or who do I need to listen to now?”

What do you think sets you apart from other designers and boutique owners? What makes your designs or your ideas special?

That’s hard to say because it’s me. You know how people make a pot of soup with the same ingredients it turns out so different from each other, that’s essentially what I do. I take different colors, or textures, or fabrics and things that are in right now to make something that stands out from other pieces.

Have you ever had any doubts about becoming a designer or boutique owner?

No, I’ve always been confident. You know what you know. I love to teach from high school level to my oldest student being 60 yrs. old. I know how to design a dress and turn sketches into an actual piece so I was always confident in myself and my abilities.

Were there times of frustration? Yes, times of frustration when I had an idea, but it wasn’t working out, but in the end I always put something together. You have to remember that you’re always learning.

I noticed that in your bio, it talks about you studying abroad in England, so I wanted to know what that was like for you and how it has helped you develop your skills as a designer

Yeah, it was amazing! It was actually my first time on a plane leaving from Buffalo, NY to London. It was awesome, it was a bit of a culture shock. But it was good to live somewhere else where people don’t know you so you can develop a new sense of individuality. It’s like trying a new food, but it’s everything, different culture, new people, etc. Just immersing yourself into a different culture can be great for developing your individuality and exploring yourself.

If you weren’t a boutique owner, what would you be doing instead?

Probably cooking, either that or perfumery not with chemicals, but with essential oils. Maybe that or traveling, like if I had an infinite amount of money I would travel.

As a woman in your position, what advice can you give to young people who want to get where you are?

Never stop learning. Interns, speak up about your interests and be confident about it because that’s what attracts us.

Travel. It opens your whole mind to cultures and ways of doing things. Just emerge yourself in it. Just keep trying until something resonates and you’re like “this lights me up”

I am confident in myself and my abilities and everything that I’ve learned. – Ashaka Givens, an affirmation.

Check out more of Ashaka’s beautifull hand-crafted designs:

Ashaka Givens

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BY: Melanie Santiago and Jada Jackson

It’s time to pull up on Intern Ave. and meet our dope summer interns for C.O.R.E Mag! Let’s meet the crew!

Name: Delyn Saffa

What’s your dream job & why?
My dream job is either an FBI or a CSI. I chose these because when I first watched “Law and Order” and “criminal minds”, I fell in love with what they do and wanted to be like them when I grow up, that’s where it all started.

What are your fave hobbies?
Hobbies that I enjoy is Basketball, doing my hair/other peoples hair, watching “law and order, and going new places.

Who’s your biggest celeb crush?
My biggest crush is Christian Casey Combs ( P-Diddy son )

What’s your fave song to jam out to right now?
My favorite song is “Way to fly”- A Boogie

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
If I could change the world one thing it would be stereotype and labeling.

What does empowerment mean to you?
Empowerment to me means being a positive leader that encourages others

What are your plans after high school?
After high school, I am going to move to Hawaii and go to a criminal justice school for 4 and cosmetology for 3 years.

How have you helped someone in your life lately?
Yes, I have helped my friends whenever they need something that I can provide or help with they get it.

Who is your role model?
My role model is my mother, I say this because she is strong and independent.

Name: A’yanna Rouse

Age: 14

City: Brooklyn

What is your dream job and why?
My dream job is coder because I like working with computers.

Who is your biggest crush?
My biggest crush is Jin from BTS.

What’s your fave song to jam out to right now?
My fave song to to jam out is Everybody Mad by O.T Genasis.

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
If I change one thing about the world, I would change how people treat each other.

What does empowerment mean to you?
Empowerment means to me is to inspire and to have confidence.

What are your plans after high school?
I plan to go to college.

How have you helped someone in your life lately?
I helped my classmates with their final projects for the end of the year.

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