Being a teenager is kind of really terrible. I think most of us push those memories aside as soon as we get out. I don’t know how this benefits anyone, particularly youth. We spend an awful lot of time on think pieces regarding pop stars in or barely out of their teens—as if we were fully formed people at that age or even now. We turn up our noses at what seems like a general disregard for grammar, the penchant of selfies and anything trivial or lacking culture that we often associate with “kids”. In the end, it seems to just create more and more distance between everyone.
I’m lucky to be part of a Latin@ culture that never questions or names the intergenerational mix of most spaces, especially at social gatherings. I have a spent a lot of time living and interacting with the teenagers in my family. The benefit to them was that of rides and movies and late night junk food runs, and hopefully a supportive adult that wasn’t a parent when they could not or would not turn to some sort of official guardian. The benefit to me is beyond anything I could articulate to their faces. We are family but also friends. They have been my champions and only support at times. They have taught me about love and acceptance beyond any sort of book definition or label that they’ve yet to learn and might never learn.
I’m not beyond nepotism here because this entry is all about my niece, Chantal Alejandra. She is 17 years old and a month shy from graduating high school. She’s pretty much a regular youth of today. Not an overachiever, part of clubs or sports, or even fringe culture; just a teenage girl negotiating friends, school, sex, #lyfe, etc. I think this is the problem when we try connect with youth or market to youth; so often it’s the ones who have some sort of privilege of skill, status and/or access that garner our attention. There is so much we don’t hear or know because the rest of them are too busy trying to get out intact. That said, Chantal has great hair and is really good at art—like, really good. She is an aspiring tattoo artist, and also lets her aunt follow her around with a camera all day and answer a series of seemingly random questions.
What are your favourite clothing brands?
Obey. Stussy too.
Why do you like these brands?
It’s not like your typical clothes that people at school wear, I guess.
Who are your favourite musicians?
Kendrick Lamar, J Cole, Tyler the Creator, ASAP Rocky, Kanye…
Why do you like Odd Future?
They don’t care what other people think about them and do what they want. They don’t let anybody tell them what to do.
Odd Future/Tyler have a lot of violent and homophobic lyrics. What do you think of this?
I think people take it too literal, they’re not serious. They just want to annoy old white people.
Where do you hear about new music?
I guess my friends. Things I like don’t get played on the radio here (Edmonton).
Since you grew up watching Hanna Montana/Disney, what do you think of Miley Cyrus now?
She’s expressing herself. She had to be a certain way for a long time and now she gets to be who she is.
Do you know what feminism is?
Thinking girls can do what guys can do, that we are equal.
Do you consider yourself a feminist?
Yes, we can do the same as guys.
What’s your opinion on abortion?
Personally, I don’t like it but yeah people should choose. [They call that pro-choice] I’m pro-choice then.
What do you wanna be when you grow up?
Oh my gosh, I have no idea. Stop asking. Everyone keeps asking. I can’t even order a pizza. I’m only 17.
What do you use your phone most for?
Text, Tumblr, Instagram, Vine, Snapchat
Explain Snapchat for me and all the other old people.
Take a picture of your surroundings or yourself, and you add a caption or you can draw on it.
But couldn’t you do that with a text?
No! Text would be more complicated. You don’t get it.
Why do you like tumblr?
Lots of stuff i can relate to. it’s kind of like a diary but you don’t really have to do the writing. It’s a way to express yourself.
How come you don’t like white guys?
They’re weird, they’re just so different with music. And food. No, thank you.
So you prefer Latinos like yourself?
Yeah, pretty much.
Why do you take so many selfies?
Because if I look good, I obviously have to capture it. You don’t take selfies on a bad day.
Do you have any role models?
Tyler, kind of: he tells you to be yourself and stand up for what you believe in. It sounds corny but just do you. People think he just talks about killing people or something but there’s so much more there. He says: I’m a unicorn and nobody can tell me that I’m not.
What did you think of this interview?
I suck at answering questions. i’m kinda boring but they were good questions.
