Sunstroke's Best of 2021
Graphic by Alex Ramos
Birdy Francis, Founding Editor-in-Chief
What I’m proud of: Review: Them Flying Monkeys, ‘Under the Weather’ | July 27, 2021
I didn't get to do as much writing for Sunstroke this year, but this piece was such a joy to write. While I had already listened to this album front to back, listening to find the right words takes the experience of music to a whole new level. It reminded me about my love for music writing.
On top of this article, I think what I was most proud of this year was putting together our fourth volume, Space Oddity. It took a while to finalize due to the struggles of the pandemic, but we did it! We produced a launch video and held a digital launch party in addition to the print issue. It was the first time I had such a large and committed team while working on an issue and it was very clearly reflected in its final product.
What I loved: Pastoral Fantasies at the Dinner Table by Marie Figuero | August 8, 2021
This was a tough one, but Marie has had some fabulous pieces published this year and this was one that stuck out heavily to me. The intricacy in a piece about food shook my world. This piece reminded me about the creative freedom you can maintain, even in journalism. Marie does an incredible job of storytelling and making you feel like you lived her words, while also giving a thorough analysis on the subject of the piece and coming full circle. It makes me feel fluttery inside. Hats off, Marie! Not to mention, Shaniqua's visual paired with this piece is *chef’s kiss*.
Cover for Space Oddity. Purchase a digital copy here.
Libby Moore, Photographer
What I’m proud of: Cut Your Own Bangs | July 11, 2021
It was the first work I did post-graduation. I think it proved to myself that I am the artist I spent all those years in school working towards. It perfectly encapsulates my style and how I view myself and my art.
What I loved: Ethereal Femme | September 15, 2021
Ethereal Femme is so beautiful, airy and captures a perfect movement. The photos are romantic but melancholy at the same time. It transports me back in time, not to anywhere specific, as if the photos capture a distant memory. If you were watching a movie where a character's wife dies, the flashback moments would look like this.
Chika Ojukwu, Culture Writer
What I’m proud of: Now Playing: How SZA's Debut Album 'CTRL' Led Me On My Path Towards Womanhood | February 17, 2021
This was my only — and subsequently, my favorite — piece I wrote for Sunstroke this year. It’s not my favorite because it’s the only piece I wrote, but if I was going to go down for writing one thing this year, this would be it. This piece was a struggle to make because it was personal. So personal, in fact, that I feared exposure for the outside world to see. I wanted to clutch it in my hands and keep it safe, close to my heart, where no one could harm it. But then I realized that for this piece to truly blossom, it had to be revealed to things that could make it grow. It was the eye of my editor for this story, Alex, who was able to take the doubts I had about my story, and transform them into new and exciting ways of expressing how I feel. Having that outside look made my story what I wanted it to be in the end: a reflection of the “work in progress” that I am.
What I loved: Routine Escape by Tyler Sinness | March 19, 2021
Sometimes, you just want to get away. And sometimes, when you feel that way, you come to a crushing realization that you aren’t able to because you only have your two feet, the four corners of your room and nothing else. But then a piece like Routine Escape comes along, and you get transported to a place you never thought to be, but somehow, it’s where you needed to be all along. That was how reading Tyler’s piece felt to me. It took me to the small town the writer speaks of, to the same late night conversations and scenic drives, to the very same feeling that made me click on this article in the first place: the need to escape. It’s a beautifully written piece that has the skill to encapsulate a feeling rather than just a moment.
Alex Ramos, Editor-in-Chief
What I’m proud of: Collage for Life’s So Fun: Queer Joy and ‘But I’m A Cheerleader’ by Katie Lotz | December 15, 2021
This year was a bit of a whirlwind for me. I traded years of drawing and seeing for writing and listening, as a result of an unexpected job offer; what I wanted as my job was suddenly my hobby and vice versa. To escape the constant pressure of this twist, which I admit to handling better now, I would take it out by making little works of art, like collages (I’ve made two for Katie, at this point!) and playlist covers for our “advice” column, Remedy Melodies. This one, featuring Megan and Graham from But I’m A Cheerleader, is special to me not for the relief I felt, but because it reminds me of how I should reciprocate the care Sunstroke writers put into their pieces through whatever images I produce.
What I loved: Angels May Destroy You: The Pretty Promise of the Female Revenge Fantasy by Rhiannon Auriol | July 30, 2021
I am a huge fan of Rhiannon’s work, and am in endless awe at how she is a part of our team as a writer and copyeditor. Her voice is distinct, critical and fearless; this article shows it best. It ties together the differing stories of women and their trauma, begging us to confront the patriarchal pleasure of their revenge fantasies and the futility of its representation. Closure is put to question. Rhiannon says it best here: “The revenge fantasy becomes another fetish for male consumption, and its pretty promise obscures the reality of the endemic punishment of women by rape culture.”
Irène Schrader, Culture Writer
What I’m proud of: Why I Love Taking the Subway (During Lockdown) | January 5, 2021
I chose this piece because it represents a precious capsule in time for me. I had written and reflected about my gratitude for being able to keep something small — and relatively mundane — in my day-to-day routine during the pandemic. I think that the positive mindset I put into the piece is something that can inspire others, and that I can be proud of.
What I loved: Can I Be Your Best Friend? by Turi Sioson | July 9, 2021
I found the essay particularly memorable because it was relatable. I liked the way Turi pinpointed the specific feeling of self-induced anxiety in friendships. The topic is unique and, once addressed, has the potential of making many readers feel less alone.
An excerpt of Your Life is a Ghibli Movie. Buy a digital copy of Stranger than Fiction here.
Turi Sioson, Culture Writer
What I’m proud of: Your Life Is A Ghibli Movie | Vol. 5: Stranger Than Fiction
It felt really great to look back on some of my favorite films and remind myself why I strived to live my life in such a simple, everyday pleasure-focused way. Picking out scenes and describing them felt really calming and fun as well. I was really excited for other people to read it; hopefully, they feel the same way.
What I loved: Reflections from Sea by Katie Lotz | June 13, 2021
I've come back to this piece so many times! I'm the kind of person who tends to think about people I no longer talk to or don’t maintain contact with — in a romanticized light — so this piece expels the desire to talk to them again out of my system (lol). It's written so well, and is both so specific and so vague that it's easy to see myself in it.
Mariel Wiley, Photographer + Culture Writer
What I’m proud of: An Interview With Brittany O’Brien | April 10, 2021
My favorite thing about Sunstroke is that it gives me a platform to speak with other artists on various points along their creative career. It provides a lot of insight and reassurance on a path that often seems uncertain.
What I loved: Lorde is Growing Up and Letting Go by Khadijah Olufayo | August 10, 2021
Lorde's evolution as an artist has closely reflected the changes I've experienced in my own adolescence and early adulthood, and I appreciate that Khadijah recognizes the importance of change for an artist rather than stasis. People change and grow and learn — and their art should, too!
COIN, 2019 by Brittany O’Brien.