Table of contents for Strength in SULAAH

When I think of strength and its power, many things come to mind—abstract and non-abstract. Its sole purpose, though—whether tangible or non-tangible—is to prop you up as you find the need to call on what we call STRENGTH to help us during times of joy, sadness, regret, pain, loss, the unknown, fear, longing, passion, love, and most importantly, acceptance for the things we cannot control. I suppose as I embarked on this magazine’s journey, this particular issue served as my most challenging and perhaps a catalyst for something great. While I was trying to find these answers and bring all the right images that would tell an interwoven story between the written word and visual arts, as portrayed by all the amazing models in this issue, there were external forces…

I’m on a quest—similar to Descartes questioning God’s existence. For me, it’s about questioning the human condition and its deterioration—or, rather, the small niches and cocoons people have built to escape seemingly archaic ideas such as marriage, trust, loyalty, and all that comes with being in a monogamous, respectful relationship. I wanted to blame the media, but the truth is, you can’t blame the media for everything. After all, we do have free will. Let’s delve right in. To understand why a good majority of men and women are single—or why most relationships and marriages implode within a year—one must reflect internally on what led us here. I’ve witnessed this with some of my friends, both male and female. In our twenties, we are at our best. We feel as…

The sidelining of Black women in feminist movements is not a new story—it’s a systemic pattern that repeats across eras. Tarana Burke founded the Me Too movement in 2006, centering survivors of sexual violence, particularly women of color from low-wealth communities. Her mission was to provide healing and solidarity for the most marginalized. Yet, when #MeToo gained traction in 2017, Burke’s role was overshadowed by the movement’s viral amplification on social media, particularly through white Hollywood narratives. When I first learned about Tarana Burke, it was at my graduation, where she served as the keynote speaker. I was struck by how little I knew about her and why it had taken so long for me to connect her face and story to the movement she created. For a moment, I…

“Misfit2 Hours” Featuring Harald Schindel Harald Schindel is a model based in Germany who is becoming well-known for challenging beauty standards in an industry that caters to the young. His warm and open personality has garnered him major success, and many people adore him, the idea of him, and the inspiration he provides to older individuals. Harald’s journey shows that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams and overcome ageism. Through the power of technology, we conducted an unorthodox interview where I sent Harald some questions, and he answered via video recording. To summarize the interview, the sky is the limit for Harald. He wouldn’t mind having a career in acting, and most of his relationships in photography are building toward this opportunity. His motivation for modeling is simple:…