Celebrate Black Herstory: A Salute To Our Icons

written by Jasmine Brooks

graphic design by Jasmine Brooks

February is Black History Month, and we've got plenty of reasons to celebrate! Today, meet some of our favorite icons in Black Herstory, each renowned and respected for blazing a trail in their fields—whether they're politicians, athletes, artists or activists.

Mae Jemison

“Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.”

On June 4, 1987, Mae Jemison became the first African-American woman to be admitted into the American astronaut training program. On September 12, 1992, Jemison finally flew into space with six other astronauts aboard the Endeavour on mission STS47, becoming the first African-American woman in space. During her eight days in space, she conducted experiments on weightlessness and motion sickness on the crew and on herself. In all, she spent more than 190 hours in space before returning to Earth on September 20, 1992. 

Following her historic flight, Jemison noted that society should recognize how much both women and members of other minority groups can contribute if given the opportunity.

In recognition of her accomplishments, Jemison has received several awards and honorary doctorates.

Serena Williams

“The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you're very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.”

Serena Williams began intensive tennis training at the age of three. She won her first major championship in 1999 and completed the career Grand Slam in 2003. Along with her record-breaking individual success, Williams has teamed with sister Venus to win a series of doubles titles. In 2017, she won her 23rd Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, defeating her older sister Venus in the Australian Open. With her 23rd win, the tennis superstar surpassed Steffi Graf's record and captured the world's No. 1 ranking in single tennis play.

Proving to be much more than just a tennis star, Serena expanded her brand into film, television, and fashion. She developed her own "Aneres" line of clothing, and in 2002 was named one of People magazine's 25 Most Intriguing People. Essence magazine later called her one of the country's 50 Most Inspiring African-Americans.

Seeking to provide educational opportunities for underprivileged youth around the world, the tennis star formed the Serena Williams Foundation and built schools for children in Africa. In 2009, Serena and Venus purchased shares of the Miami Dolphins to become the first African-American women to own part of an NFL team.

Shonda Rhimes

“This moment right here, me standing up here all brown with my boobs and my Thursday night of network television full of women of color, competitive women, strong women, women who own their bodies and whose lives revolve around their work instead of their men, women who are big dogs — that could only be happening right now.”

Shonda Rhimes  is the first African-American woman to create and executively produce a Top 10 network series—the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. She is also the creator of its spin-off, Private Practice, the political thriller Scandal and the legal whodunit How to Get Away With Murder. Before creating several award-winning series, Rhimes penned such film screenplays as Crossroads and HBO's Introducing Dorothy Dandridge.

Angela Davis

“It is no longer possible for various groups to live and function and struggle in isolation…While we may specifically be involved in our own particular struggles, our vision has to be that we understand how our own issues relate to the issues of others. My consciousness has grown so that when I speak and write, I make a point of discussing the need for understanding how Native Americans, Latinos, and other people of color are marginalized in this society.”

Socialist and former communist political activist and intellectual Angela Davis has addressed civil and women’s rights, poverty and peace, health care and prison reform since she first came dramatically into the public eye in 1970, when her activism in prisoners’ rights led to her arrest and trial on charges of kidnapping, conspiracy and murder.  Davis’ imprisonment for over a year inspired the international “Free Angela” movement and her case became a symbol of the abusive power of the criminal justice system against minorities.  Acquitted in 1972, Davis has had a long career as a popular lecturer and professor, writing and fighting for revolutionary social and political reform in the interests of the repressed.

Maya Angelou

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

Maya Angelou was a writer and civil rights activist, known for her 1969 memoir, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," the first nonfiction best-seller by an African-American woman. In 1971, Angelou published the Pulitzer Prize-nominated poetry collection "Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Die." She later wrote the poem "On the Pulse of Morning"—one of her most famous works—which she recited at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993. Angelou received several honors throughout her career, including two NAACP Image Awards in the outstanding literary work nonfiction category, in 2005 and 2009. She died on May 28, 2014.

Michelle Obama

“You see, our glorious diversity—our diversity of faiths, and colors and creeds. That is not a threat to who we are; it makes us who we are.”

Michelle Obama attended Princeton University, graduating cum laude in 1985, and went on to earn a degree from Harvard Law School in 1988. Following her graduation from Harvard, she worked at a Chicago law firm, where she met her husband, future U.S. president Barack Obama. As first lady, Obama became a role model for women as she focused her attention on current social issues, such as poverty, healthy living, and education.

Michelle is one of only three first ladies with a graduate degree. You can read her dissertation titled "Princeton-Educated Blacks and the Black Community" here. 

Laverne Cox

“It is revolutionary for any trans person to choose to be seen and visible in a world that tells us we should not exist.”

Laverne Cox is an Emmy-nominated actress who can be seen in the Netflix original series "Orange is The New Black" where she plays the ground-breaking role of trans inmate Sophia Burset. 

Laverne’s work as an actress and advocate landed her on the cover of TIME Magazine as well as an Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.” Laverne continues to break boundaries and make history with accolades including a SAG Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series,” a Critic’s Choice nomination for “Best Supporting Actress,” and a NAACP Image Awards nomination for “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.” 

Laverne is also currently producing a documentary titled "Free CeCe" in order to heighten visibility and awareness for CeCe McDonald, a transgender woman who was controversially sentenced to 41 months in prison for second-degree manslaughter after allegedly defending herself against a racist and transphobic attack. The documentary will focus on McDonald’s case, her experiences while incarcerated in a men’s prison and the larger implications of her case for the transgender community.

Rosa Parks

“The only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”

Civil rights activist Rosa Parks refusal to surrender her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama bus spurred a city-wide boycott. Following the boycott, the city of Montgomery had no choice but to lift the law requiring segregation on public buses. Rosa Parks received many accolades during her lifetime, including the NAACP's highest award, the Spingarn Medal.

Although she had become a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement, Rosa Parks suffered hardship in the months following her arrest in Montgomery and the subsequent boycott. She lost her department store job and her husband was fired after his boss forbade him to talk about his wife or their legal case. Unable to find work, they eventually left Montgomery; the couple, along with Rosa's mother, moved to Detroit, Michigan. There, Rosa made a new life for herself, working as a secretary and receptionist in U.S. Representative John Conyer's congressional office. She also served on the board of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

In 1987, with longtime friend Elaine Eason Steele, Rosa founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development. The organization runs "Pathways to Freedom" bus tours, introducing young people to important civil rights and Underground Railroad sites throughout the country.

We salute these women today and always. Happy Black Herstory Month!

2016 Babe of the Year: Miriam Conner

In the first few months of the new year, we're celebrating the babes who helped buoy our community in 2016 with their inspiring ambition, work and success. 

After visiting her mother in Austin for what was supposed to be a two week stay, 2016 Babe of the Year Miriam Conner was transfixed by a tangible sense of the city's soulfulness and creativity. 

So she stayed — and has committed herself to carving out room for that soulfulness and creativity by helping lift up the artists that make Austin what it is. In addition to Topology, an artist-run gallery and studio space, Conner also helps to foster creative talent through LOCALmotive, an artist management, event consulting, and production company. 

Keep up with what she's got planned in 2017 by following along with Topology on Instagram. 

Where does the drive to do what you do — even when the struggle bus pulls up — come from?

At the age of 15, I discovered what I want to do for the rest of my life. I am very grateful to have found that particular passion that wakes me up in the morning and tucks me in at night.

My life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness lies within art.

I learned everything from my mother, as she raised me with her soul. She taught me how to cook, the trades of being an entrepreneur, how to be a strong woman, and how to never give up doing what you love.   

When I fall down or when shit hits the fan, I remember that she is the one to pick me up or protect me. My drive and resilience is fueled by the understanding that I want to — and need to — do the same for her.

What have been your favorite moments of creative energy this past year? What have been the most challenging? And what are you most proud of accomplishing this past year?

After receiving my BFA from the California Institute of the Arts, I came back to visit my mother in Austin for two weeks. Within those two weeks, I realized that the city that I would marry was changing. Austin’s soul and heart were in flux.

The heartbeat of Austin exists in the efforts of the artist and service industry community. They work hard, often in tandem, to pump energy, inspiration, and community back into the soul of this unique city.

I left all of my books and clothes in Los Angeles and decided to stay. I wanted to be a part of and help direct the inevitable change a rapidly growing city such as Austin is experiencing.

“It's been a long time, a long time coming — But I know a change gonna come.”

One day, I stumbled upon an artist’s studio and warehouse called Pine Street Station. I immediately fell in love. I helped Reji Thomas and others run and manage the building for two years. Artists had a place to call home. Shortly after, the city came and took the warehouse as eminent domain. 

What happened to Pine Street is a minor detail in a greater conversation that the city needs to start having. We are losing artist spaces just as quickly as condos are rising. How is the soul of Austin supposed to thrive without providing its heartbeat the proper resources to survive? 

Two years after the demise of Pine Street Station, I am co-owner of Topology (along with Anita Obasi, Dom Davis, and Ian Seyer). Topology is an artist-run warehouse that we converted with our bare hands from an empty warehouse to an art gallery and affordable studio spaces. 

I am also co-founder of a company called LOCALmotive. We are an artist management, event consulting and production company. My business partner, Anita Obasi, and I aim to connect creatives on a local level by mobilizing resources and solutions around artistic visions.

We strive to thoughtfully connect creatives with resources that will nourish their development, curate spaces where people can showcase and celebrate their talents, and cultivate a tight-knit artistic community that is contributing to the growth of Austin's culture.

Since the city has neglected to provide our communities with the proper tools to survive, we’ve gone ahead and done it ourselves. We shouldn't work under the framework of following existing precedents like sheep. We need to find that one particular passion within ourselves, pursue it, and be great at it — for our own fulfillment and on behalf of the community at large.

2016 Babe of the Year: Claudia Gizell Aparicio-Gamundi

Photo courtesy of SA Current

In the first few months of the new year, we're celebrating the babes who helped buoy our community in 2016 with their inspiring ambition, work and success. 

It's appropriate that Claudia Gizell Aparicio-Gamundi derives her creative energy from community as she's been such a creative force for ours. 

Whether it's helping to get people grooving through the formation of Chulita Vinyl Club (the all-girl DJ collective that played at our August meet and, more recently, at our State of the Uterus event), to get them together through Mosaico Experiencia events, or to create for them as Puro Chingøn Collective does via designer toys, zines, videos, and murals, Aparicio-Gamundi is in the business of creating spaces for "those that might feel not spoken to."

Still, with all of those projects in her corner, the thing she's most proud of accomplishing is finally accepting that she's just not a fan of speaking in front of crowds. That's a sentiment we can absolutely get behind — may we all learn to accept that some things just aren't for us in the new year.

Where does the drive to do what you do — even when the struggle bus pulls up — come from? 

The drive comes directly from wanting to create what I would like to see out there, not just for me but for those that might feel not spoken to.

What have been your favorite moments of creative energy this past year?

Getting together with the community during Puro Chingøn, Mosaico Experiencia and AIGA's events. Making people come together through sound and making them groove with all the chulitas from Chulita Vinyl Club — it just makes me super happy to be surrounded by pure light & great energy.

What have been the most challenging moments throughout your career and perhaps in this year in particular?

Not enough spaces for POC in the Austin creative scene. 

What's the one thing you're most proud of accomplishing this past year?

Collaborating with great people and being challenged to speak in front of an audience. I don't enjoy it — never have — so I finally realized it is just not for me and being ok with that.

2016 Babe of the Year: Davia Roberts

In the first few months of the new year, we're celebrating the babes who helped buoy our community in 2016 with their inspiring ambition, work and success. 

Therapist, blogger, documentarian, and community organizer, Davia Roberts has made a career out of affirming women's worth through the creation of content focused on self-care and mental health. By helping to remove the stigma and cost burden that are so often barriers to seeking therapeutic help, Davia made wellness more accessible to women of all backgrounds in 2016. This year, she continued to advocate for the mental health of women by organizing the first annual SHE IS wellness retreat and by launching a biweekly podcast called AFFIRM. 

To learn more about Davia and the work she's doing in 2017, check out her wellness blog, Redefine Enough.

Photo by Tia Boyd Photography

Where does the drive to do what you do — even when the struggle bus pulls up — come from?

I believe altruism plays a major role in my life and career choices. I feel a deep sense of purpose when I’m able to support others.

On occasion, my desire to help others means I may overextend to my own detriment. The past 6 months of 2016 were particularly challenging as I found myself overextended trying to be a support for my community in the midst of racial injustice and national traumas. I was burnt out. I wasn’t able to find balance until I stepped away, created space for daily affirmations, and became honest about my personal limits as a healer. Over time, I began to whisper gentle words like…

I’m not expected to be perfect.

I don’t have to do everything or be everything for everyone… and that’s okay.

Those affirming statements kept me going when I felt like my work wasn’t enough. They served as reminders that the core of my therapeutic work is to create space for women to be powerful within their vulnerability — and that I deserved to create the same opportunity for myself.

What have been your favorite moments of creative energy this past year?

I hosted my first wellness retreat with 5 other amazing women in July. I was blown away by the energy and creative style of each woman. We’re completely different but our creativity flowed together and we were able to create a restorative retreat for each of the attendees.

Needless to say, beauty is guaranteed to show up when women collaborate with one another.

What have been the most challenging moments throughout your career and perhaps in this year in particular?

The most challenging moments were realizing that some of the people I love dearly wouldn’t understand or support my work. This is difficult when you believe your work is an extension of your identity.

At times, I still struggle with the desire to have loved ones “understand,” but I have to remember that I don’t need validation to affirm my life’s work. Instead, I shift that energy to my God-given purpose and focus on creating spaces for healing and growth.

What's the one thing you're most proud of accomplishing this past year?

Honoring my voice.

Although I’m introverted by nature, I’m not shy when it comes to advocating about certain issues. Yet for some odd reason, I’ve struggled to truly advocate for my personal needs. 2016 has been the year where I’ve seen the most growth in my ability to honor my voice. Regardless of the outcome, I feel free when I allow myself to be authentic by expressing my needs or concerns.

2016 Babe of the Year: Pooneh Ghana

In the first few months of the new year, we're celebrating the babes who helped buoy our community in 2016 with their inspiring ambition, work and success. 

We're kicking things off with Pooneh Ghana, an Austin-based music photographer whose work spans an incredible array of artists and whose clients include everyone from Vans to Tumblr to Billboard Magazine.

In 2016, she continued her hustle in a male-dominated field, photographing the first-ever Sound on Sound Fest and shooting her first-ever music video for Cage the Elephant's "Cry Baby" while on tour with the band in Europe. We can't wait to see what she tackles — and photographs — in 2017.

Here's to you and your new year, babe.

Where does the drive to do what you do — even when the struggle bus pulls up — come from?

Being a freelancer as well as working in a creative field definitely has it’s fair share of ups and downs. I always have to remember that at the end of the day, I’m the only person who can push myself forward and drive my success, and I enjoy being motivated by that. Being my own worst critic helps too, haha. I’m always striving to learn more about photography and get better at what I do. It’s easy to be lazy, but falling behind is not an option. I love every aspect of this career, even when it’s a challenge. I wouldn’t have done this for so long otherwise.

What have been your favorite moments of creative energy this past year?

Day For Night Fest in Houston recently was a blast! It felt like a hyper-sensorial theme park put together by artists from all walks of life. On top of the music, they brought in some incredible art installations and different interactive aspects inside this 1+ million square foot warehouse. It’s definitely one of my favorite festivals not only to photograph now, but just to experience. Sound on Sound Fest was sick too. You can’t go wrong with a Ren Faire-themed music festival put together by Graham Williams and co. There was BMX jousting!

What have been the most challenging moments throughout your career and perhaps in 2016 in particular?

There are always challenges but I believe they’ve only helped me grow. When I first started out, the biggest challenge was just establishing a name for myself and convincing people to give me a chance and, on top of that, pay me, which in the creative field is always a fun process. Haha, er. Then there’s a more personal struggle which is kind of what I mentioned before — just wanting to constantly progress and get better at photography. Pushing myself to find new ways to shoot, practicing new light setups, playing around with camera tricks etc. etc. just helps keep things fresh, as well as keep me on top of my game. Also, being a female in this field can be a challenge because there will be those people who assume you got to your position any other way outside of just being a good photographer that people want to work with. So fighting that stigma is just something that’s always there. Not just for me, but for a lot of women in many fields.

What's the one thing you're most proud of accomplishing this past year?

Oh man, I’m not sure. I suppose off the top of my head, shooting my first music video with Cage The Elephant (for "Cry Baby") was really fun. I jumped on the tour bus with them in Europe for a couple of weeks and we filmed it over that time in different locations. Of course, winning a Boss Babe of the Year award was an awesome way to cap off the year too! :)

Peep Our Spring 2017 Calendar

Mark your cals and stay tuned for more details. 2017's gonna be a great year!

To RSVP for events that have already gone live, please visit our event calendar. **RSVPs for all events on this schedule will be released on a rolling basis.

If you're curious about contributing to event activities, getting involved with production or sponsorship/partnership opportunities, please email thebabes@bossbabes.org.

If you'd like to volunteer with us on an event, please fill out our volunteer form.

Looking Back & Moving Forward

At our final meet of the year, we asked you — our amazing community of babes — to give us both one lesson you learned in the past year and one goal you have for the year ahead. 

Your hundreds of responses were both inspiring and indicative of the growth you've had over the course of the past 12 months. In the interest of lifting up our entire community, we're sharing a selection of those responses below.

As you read them, reflect on your own year of triumphs and trials and think forward to the lengths you still have to go. Then get ready to kick some ass with us in 2017.

Safe Spaces: Writer and Performer Andie Flores

The environments we inhabit and the spaces we create for ourselves inform and shape us just as we go about shaping and decorating them. “Safe Spaces” is a new series meant to explore that relationship, by visiting female and female-identifying creators and doers in the spaces and places nearest and dearest to them.

Writer and performer Andie Flores won’t live here long. By the beginning of the next year, she’ll be in a new space in Cherrywood — a different house with enough natural light to suit her plants and one with designated work and lounge areas to suit her lifestyle.

For now though, this spot on the East Side —  not far from Hillside Farmacy and just down the street from the George Washington Carver Museum —  is home to her, as well as to her partner, graphic designer Ivan Alonso, and their dog, Baxon.

At times it’s ‘work’ too, as the setting of most project meetings and brainstorming sessions conducted with cast members of Doper than Dope, the award-winning original sketch show she helped write. A small office space below a reading and lounging loft is the home base from which Flores operates Muy Excited, an online shop of “handpicked vintage treats for the disco diva.” Wherever the workspace in her multimodal home, Andie prefers to keep it tidy to limit distractions.

But, there’s also room for play. While Ivan is the plant man, furnishing the one-bedroom home with ample greens, Andie brings a playful aesthetic to the interior as inspired by PeeWee’s Playhouse. A Big Bird planter nestled among more modest pots is the perfect marriage of what both bring to the table (a sleek, modern, wooden-topped table, if we’re talking dining). It’s likely that the plastic, pink Power Ranger mask hanging in the home’s living room is Andie’s doing as well.

Walking through the house, one can count two Frida Kahlo self-portraits and one Frida Kahlo portrait in three separate locations — a clear through-line of decoration in what's otherwise a colorful collection of eclectic, inspiring pieces, like the wall of framed art in the living room.  

It's those pieces that make the house feel like a lived-in home — pieces that will likely follow Andie, Ivan, and Baxon to the next space they inhabit. 

Shop Local: Small Business Saturday

It's tradition, on Thanksgiving Thursday, to give thanks for what you have. And it's tradition, on #BlackFriday, to go out and buy more of it.  

This Small Business Saturday, once the dust has settled and the relatives have cleared, we invite you to give thanks once more — this time for the awesome creatives, makers, and babes who make our local economy what it is. To support you in that endeavor, we've rounded up 25 incredible, worthy small businesses that we believe deserve your hard-earned dollars this holiday season. 

Shop local, support Austin women, and be merry.

Byron & Blue, byronandblueshop.com, 908 E. 5th St. #106

Bath and body goods, home goods, blankets, jewelry, and clothing — Byron & Blue's curated selection of independently created items is sure to include something that appeals to you or that gift recipient you're still on the hunt for. 

Aro, shop-aro.com, 906 E. 5th St. #106

The brick and mortar complement to Aro's virtual storefront, browsing the shop's independently designed jewelry is as good an excuse to get out the gift-shopping as any. Likely, the perfect hidden treasure for that perfect person awaits. 

Trash Vintage, shoptrash.com

Two birds, one stone. Shop Trash Vintage on Small Business Saturday to both shop local and to support sustainable fashion — or rather, trash (vintage) that's been recycled.

Eythink, eythink.com

You know you could've used a "Can I live?" tee during this year's turkey tango with critical relatives. Next year, you'll be prepared, thanks to Eythink. The designer also has an awesome selection of small gifts available for purchase, including a "Male Tears" koozie. 

Realm, shop-realm.com

Shop Realm for creative expression you can wear on your sleeve or carry in your handbag. Straight from the cranium of the line's one-woman designer and maker, each piece is the result of a playful process combining hand sketching, embroidery, and/or wordplay.

Meridab, instagram.com/meridabboutique

Sweater weather is finally here and Meridab delivers. This Austin-based, online boutique carefully curates vintage pieces with an eye toward color, print and personal style. 

Desert Flower Designers, instagram.com/desertflowerdesigners

Desert Flower Designers uses parts and pieces of nature, and even vintage jewelry, to create eccentric designs ranging from necklaces to hand pieces to head pieces. 

Sunlit Fire Jewelry, sunlitfire.com

For the babe in your life who can't acquire enough crystals and gems, Sunlit Fire Jewelry captures the angular, light-refracting qualities of those beautiful stones. And with studs starting at $12, it's an affordable gift option as well.  

Fibrous ATX, fibrousatx.com

If your space already has its fair share of woven goods  — and honestly, you can never have too many — Fibrous ATX also offers workshops where you can learn to create your own woven necklaces.

Zanny Adornments, instagram.com/zannyadornments

Deep colors, rich stones, and bold designs — Zanny Adornments offers inimitable, one-of-a-kind pieces for inimitable, one-of-a-kind shoppers. 

SomarATX, somaratx.com

For women who identify as Xicana, for women who love Selena, for women who wear their culture loud and proud on their tees, Somar ATX exists to dress you. 

Rosa Rebelled, rosarebelled.com

You know that favorite tee you have that's so soft you could crawl up inside it and live forever? Rosa Rebelled made that tee into a pair of upcycled panties that are every bit as adorable as they are comfy. 

New Bohemia, instagram.com/newbohemiavintage, 4631 Airport Boulevard

The Austin vintage gem was part of the great South Congress exodus of recent years but — lucky you — has since opened a new locale stocked full of quality vintage on Airport Boulevard.  

Olive + M, oliveandm.com

Tread a loved one — or yourself — to wonderful smelling, soft-feeling, great-for-you body and face oils made using locally sourced olive oil. 

Red Planet Pottery, redplanetpottery.com

Red Planet Pottery elevates the oft-gifted coffee mug to something of an art piece, with vessels taking the shape of cacti, female forms, and clasped hands. 

Consuela, consuelastyle.com, 912 Congress Ave.

Locally owned Consuela can't be beat for variety with their wide selection of totes, handbags, clutches, beach bags, gym bags, backpacks, and bag accessories.

Fox & Brie, foxandbrie.com

Shop menswear "in homage of the gentlemen" online or find bow ties, bandanas, and bows (for men, women, and pets) at one of Fox & Brie's local stockists. 

Dylan Wylde, dylanwylde.com, 2324 S. Lamar Blvd. Unit B

A one-stop-shop if there ever was one, this South Lamar storefront offers accessories, home goods, shoes, and clothing for the local lady. They also ship nationwide, if you're an out-of-town babe.

Pscyhe Jewelry, ninaberenato.com, 1720 Barton Springs Road

Shop graphic, sculptural jewels online or stop by Psyche Jewelry's airstream on Barton Springs Road to purchase quality, handmade pieces and support a local maker. 

Luella, etsy.com/shop/shopluellatx

Pins are in, plus you know you need to signal that you're an "Introvert" from the safety of your lapel or that you're a proud card carrying member of the "Big Booty Club."

Discover LOLA, discoverlola.com

Give or get a membership to this online clothing boutique to give or get access to trendy tops, bottoms, and dresses, free shipping, and additional savings.

Dear Valentine Candles, etsy.com/shop/dearvalentinecandles

Candles are always a great gift idea, made even better when concocted with soy by a local babe. Plus, who doesn't want their home to smell like "Frida Kahlua"?

Sunfern Studio, thesunfernstudio.com

Art isn't always meant to hang on walls. Sunfern Studio's vibrant and colorful pieces can be worn, adorned, hung, or used as home decor.

Hey Murphy, heymurphy.com

Hey Murphy uses clean lines and geometric shapes to hand craft jewelry on a small scale that ensures the quality of each and every piece. 

Hauntwell Apparel, hauntwell.com

Each piece of Hauntwell Apparel comes hand-printed with a sigil, or a magical symbol "designed using the letters of a specific intent or key phrase, meant to remind of a goal, provide protection or increase personal power."

Safe Spaces: Sailor Poon's Converted Tour Bus

The environments we inhabit and the spaces we create for ourselves inform and shape us just as we go about shaping and decorating them. “Safe Spaces” is a new series meant to explore that relationship, by visiting female and female-identifying creators and doers in the spaces and places nearest and dearest to them.

All-grrrl, punk-influenced, “post-sincerity,” local Austin band Sailor Poon gets around.

Whether it’s crossing the state of Texas, performing around the local Austin scene, roadtripping out to NOLA, or making the short drive to their recent appearance at the inaugural Sound on Sound Fest, the six piece performs a sound best captured live.

The transitory nature of their most powerful platform — the stage  — necessitates a certain level of mobility. While the band practices at the home of member Mariah Stevens-Ross, they hit the road in an airport-shuttle-cum-tour-bus dubbed “Cream Puff” by bus driver/owner Cheraya Esters, Sailor Poon’s drummer.

Cheraya came to acquire the bus, capable of running on both vegetable oil and male tears, in January of this year. When she purchased it from William Kennedy of Reptar, it was impounded and covered in tags — though not yet graffitied with the “Cream Puff” signifier that would become its namesake. That was just one of several renovations she undertook to make the bus Sailor Poon’s own.

Cheraya also removed the standard bus chairs, outfitted the interior with steel and wood cabinets and added an appropriate “white rockstar futon” inside. The result is an open “floor plan” that can currently fit all six members and (most) their instruments.

Cream Puff is now all set to see Sailor Poon through their next tour out to New York and the Northeast. In the future, the band hopes to add a studio/living space, a full kitchen, and a sleeping area.