our mugs and our mugs
MARRIYA SCHWARZ
Editor-in-Chief, Designer,
Web Manager, Staff Writer
Marriya Schwarz is an alum of William & Mary, where she majored in Creative Writing and American Studies. She thought she would figure out what American Studies was over four years. (She didn't.) She uses humor as a coping mechanism to cover up her true insecurities. She has worked a variety of odd jobs from managing a haunted house to teaching famous children how to write poetry. Her writing has been featured in Zimbio, Slate Magazine, Women’s eNews, and Slackjaw. In her free time, she transcribes 18th century handwriting, hosts The Catch-Up, and helps a real-life stand-up comedian (I mean, sometimes he sits). Don't worry; she is currently in therapy.
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Favorite hot beverage: Thai tea, English Breakfast, or a caramel macchiato from her Keurig she won for Googling Oscar predictions.
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BROOKE REES
Assistant Editor, Photographer, Columnist,
Staff Writer, Chief Financial Officer
Brooke Lokelani Rees is an alum of William & Mary, graduating with degrees in Psychology, Film & Media Studies, and butter churning. She is from a super small town in Pennsylvania - no, not Scranton. For some reason, people often get her name wrong, calling her Brittany, Bridget, Drew, or Brick so far (she keeps a running tab on her Notes app). Recently, Brooke moved to the great city of Cleveland, because, as everyone knows, it is the Hollywood of Ohio. She is currently working at the Cleveland Clinic, once she discovered that she would actually have to pay rent. Brooke spends the rest of her time by masterfully procrastinating, watching Netflix, and occasionally photographing people's faces, creating videos, or adding snide remarks to podcasts.
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Favorite hot beverage: Hot cocoa, but she only discovered Chai tea lattes two years ago and was upset no one informed her that they existed.
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SILVANA SMITH
Staff Writer
Formerly from the haunted grounds of Colonial Williamsburg, where she served coffee and studied at William & Mary, Silvana now haunts the streets of Williamsburg, NYC. When it comes to music culture, cult tv shows, and online media, she's your girl. Silvana has interned for CNN, the PBS station WETA, and is currently a Video Editor for the 501 (c) 3 non-profit Girls Behind the Rock Show. She also co-hosts the Zillennial Support Group Podcast, writes for the online zines 'Unfiltered' and 'Everything But...,' and manages scripts for The Catch Up. She spends her free time traveling to see concerts, using the music feature on her Instagram stories, and psycho-analyzing Mad Men for the ninth time. She aspires to work in scripted television development and programming but would definitely throw it all away to follow Paramore on tour if being a groupie paid well.
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Favorite hot beverage: Chai Tea Latte
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SETAREH SANAEI
Assistant Editor, Staff Writer, Designer
Woman in STEM by day, unspecific creative by night, and currently dealing with a bad case of early-quarter-life-crisis, Setareh is a self-proclaimed-writer, aspiring Virginia Tech graduate (fingers crossed!), and software developer. In her free time, she watches TV shows so she can write articles about them (you’re welcome), talks to her many plant children, and complains about how messy her room is while continuing to not clean it. She is currently taking applications for new hobbies, although it looks like either crocheting or having-ideas-she-doesn’t-execute might fill the position by EOD Friday, so you better hurry to submit yours! Her likes include iced caramel lattes, Arrested Development, farmer’s markets, and the transitionary period between winter and spring. Her dislikes include 75-minute lectures, “I think I’m special because I can code”-tech-bros, and her current hair, probably. P.S. The photo to the left is from months ago and I long to have that hair back.
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Favorite hot beverage: Vanilla lattes from pretentious hipster coffee shops
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DANA ARMSTRONG
Staff Writer, Marketing
Dana Armstrong is a journalism major and dance minor (one semester away from academic freedom) at the College of William & Mary. She is the Editor in Chief of her campus’s culture and lifestyle magazine, the DoG Street Journal (DSJ); a tap teacher for Rhythm & Taps club; a dancer and choreographer of Pointe Blank Dance Company; and a member of W&M’s Equality Lab.
Her writing typically focuses on the arts, travel, representation, and intersectional feminism through pop culture. The DSJ has featured many of her articles covering everything from The Bachelor & the #MeToo movement to W&M’s LGBTQ+ history. She is currently working on an article about street art and social justice activism that will be published by the Pulitzer Center. She’s also an avid Anglophile and longs for the non-pandemic future when she can revive her travel blog and attend the Harry Styles concert in the U.K. that was originally supposed to be on her birthday—R.I.P.
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Favorite hot beverage: I am such a hot beverage enthusiast! I love any and all teas but especially English Breakfast with milk and honey, peppermint herbal tea, and London Fogs. I also love Americanos and single origin pour overs from local coffee shops because I guess I’m an aspiring coffee snob?
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MISHA MULLANY
Staff Writer
NINA LEITENBERG
Guest Writer
E.H.
Guest Writer
Born and raised in what was once the Kizh・Tongva Nation, E.H. is a multi-genre writer whose work focuses on intergenerational spaces, bisexual identity, and the necro-pastoral. Her creative non-fiction and poetry is forthcoming in Chrysanthemum Vol. II, an anthology dedicated to exploring geography and Taiwanese America, and has been published in Hong Kong-based Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine. When she is not manifesting, E.H. indulges herself in the appreciation of queer Asian cinema and raisin bread
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Favorite hot beverage: Grandma’s chicken noodle soup
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GLENN CLOSE
Honorary Member
Don't worry about it.
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Favorite hot beverage: TBD