Mikayla Lee

Breaking Waves & Gender Norms: A Trans Masc Guide to Bathing Suit Shopping

By Mikayla Lee The Swimwear Struggle Starts Here My eternal search for the perfect bathing suit began back in the Summer of 2016. I had just gotten my license, Tumblr had reached its peak, and I was gayer than ever before. Having spent the school year experimenting with men’s jeans, boxers, and an embarrassing yet […]

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Inking Her Name in The Name Tattoo Industry: Interview with Jessica Talbot at Scarlet Rose Tattoo Parlor

A well-decorated artist on the Rhode Island tattoo scene, Jessica Talbot is changing the way that Rhode Islanders think about their tattoo experience. Jess’ passion for the timeless art of American traditional tattooing, combined with her belief in “the power of storytelling through tattoos,” turns each client’s vision into a lasting work of art. As […]

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Step Into The Afroverse: Interview with poet and worldbuilder Vladimir Jean

As I strolled down a thriving and sundrenched Wickenden Street this past weekend and made my way toward Coffee Exchange to meet Vladimir Jean, the curator of PVD’s Afroverse and a nominee for the 2025 RI Spoken Awards, I stumbled upon our subject standing outside the coffee shop snapping impromptu photos of the blissful spring […]

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Inclusive Barber Breaks Barriers While Shaving My Head: Interview with owner of New Age Barbering Co., Tiffany Aponté

Entering New Age Barbering Co. at 8 Freebody St in Newport comes with a feeling of relief that many women wish was more familiar to barbershops everywhere. Rather than walking into obnoxious chatter and intimidation, I was greeted with soft music and a cozy waiting room that immediately quelled my anxieties about entering such a […]

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The Women Behind The Bannister: Gallery Night Providence kickoff paints a legacy

Just about a year ago, the North Burial Ground cemetery’s most-visited gravesite was burglarized when two copper medallions were stolen from the memorial of Edward Mitchell Bannister, a prominent Black artist who resided in Providence throughout the late 1800’s. On February 27th, 2025, two community leaders and kickass women, Ulli Ryder and Victoria Gao, reignited […]

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Sisters and statistics stolen from history: Demanding data on RI’s missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirits

As of 2016, there were 5,712 cases of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-spirits (MMIWG2S) in the United States, only 116 of which were logged in the US Department of Justice database. This is a commonly referenced statistic when discussing the nationwide crisis of violence against indigenous women, and as one would expect, […]

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Couples Therapist Saves Your Valentines Day: How to drop expectations for a better relationship

Stereotypically viewed as the final resort to saving a failed relationship, the idea of couples therapy tends to send your average happy couple running for their (love) lives. Similarly, when people fantasize about their ideal Valentine’s Day – filled with giant stuffed teddy bears, intimate dinner dates, and a trail of rose petals, they rarely […]

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Being Bad Never Felt So Good: Interview with Black artists and designers of RISD

Although it may seem counterintuitive, some of the most poignant examples of Black history lay in our youth and their efforts to honor the spaces pioneered by their mentors and ancestors. As young as they may be, their fight is centuries old and should hold equal weight. In the spirit of commemorating Black history, join […]

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Slamming Their Names Into History: Talking poetry & legacy with AS220’s Naffisatou Koulibaly

Amidst numerous up-and-coming open mics in Rhode Island, the Providence Poetry Slam (ProvSlam) remains one of the largest and longest-running slams in US history. Co-founded in 1992 by nationally renowned author and slam poet Patricia Smith, ProvSlam is an undeniable example of how Blackness is an integral part of Providence’s lavish history. Over recent years, […]

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Crafting With Purpose: Kira Melville’s journey with cannabis, art, and integrity

Raised by a pair of 1980s RISD graduates and toy designers in Connecticut, Kira Melville has embraced her creative engineering skills for as long as she can remember. Melville spent her childhood exploring the possibilities of artistic expression before heading to Carnegie Mellon in 2014. While in college, Kira noticed a distinct issue amongst her […]

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