Brandon Paillere

WRITTEN BY BIANCA NITTA MONTEIRO

PHOTOS TAKEN BY BIANCA NITTA MONTEIRO

PHOTOS EDITED BY BRANDON PAILLERE

Brandon Paillere is a portrait and fashion photographer based in New York City. As an Afro-Latino, Brandon navigates both his work and personal life in careful strides. His work displays meticulous thought, with much of it focused into the fine details that compose its sum.

As a Haitian and Guatemalan man, his identity growing up was often skewed to either black or Latino. “People have tried to convince me that I’m not black,” he explains, rather than face the complexity of his identity. “Whenever I was in a black group I was black, whenever I was in a Latino group I was Latino.” This tension leaked deeply into how he composed himself. Noticing that his duality contrasted to others not only in cultural identity but through creative thought, Brandon made it a point to lean deeply into differences.

As a creator, Brandon challenges those around him to battle the status quo — to him, mediocrity has never been an option. Instead, his work demonstrates a keen understanding of dynamic composition. His sights are often drawn to projects that require him to extend the limits of his creativity. In photography, this pushes him to champion inclusivity and sharply contrast his work from the oversaturated, white-dominant community around him, as well as from those who do not push their work.

In the long term, Brandon hopes for representation to open new gateways, allowing for more refreshing thought. “I want to challenge people’s mentalities and change the way people create,” he explains, “I want people to start being intentional with what they’re saying to the world.” Currently, Brandon is working on a short film series. He also hopes to move forward with strictly POC-driven projects in order to strengthen the impact of strong POC work and heighten the community’s sensitivity to new and valuable perspectives.

Brandon is the creative director of Encounters Magazine and is a senior at Baruch College. His work can be found on his Instagram or on his website www.brandonpaillere.com.

Victoria Merlino

WRITTEN BY MAYA YEGOROVA

PHOTO BY BRANDON PAILLERE

Victoria Merlino is a writer whose works emphasize character and style over plot. She focuses on poetry, explaining that her poems are often letters because they convey things she wants to say to people that she can’t say to them in real life.

Victoria was an active reader as a child and wrote her first story, inspired by Eragon, in elementary school. Before college, her writing showed an attempt to focus the reader into her work’s imagery. Now, her writing focuses more closely around particular feelings or moments.

Victoria’s themes are personal, as her goal is to connect with people and to express her emotions in a positive way. She is the Managing Editor of The Ticker, and her journalism experience strongly influenced her writing to become more refined.

Going forward, her goal is to create a young adult novel. Victoria is pursuing a double major in English and journalism with a specialization in creative writing and works at Pippin Properties, a literary agency in Midtown.

Jennifer Hernandez

WRITTEN BY BIANCA NITTA MONTEIRO

PHOTO BY BRANDON PAILLERE

Jennifer Hernandez is the founder of Granny Vintage Shop, an online shop where she sells a wide variety of expressive jewelry, designed herself. Here she sports her own “Mix & Match” earrings that bear bold lines depicting two non-identical golden faces in a Picasso-esque fashion.

Much like “Mix & Match,” several of Jenn’s pieces reflect loose and expressive lines, like “Aphrodite” and one of her first and most popular pieces “Sappho.” Inspired by her love of nudity and the Greek poet Sappho, the earring was designed with bold wires welded into a relaxed contour body, meant to resemble Sappho.

Starting just this spring, Jenn has already released several different designs of necklaces, earrings, and rings. Jenn’s main inspirations for creating jewelry are tied closely with her own desire to sport unique jewelry and to connect with her own image. Her newer pieces change pace with an increased use of imagery implemented through more dimensional forms such as gold-lined seashell pendants, mini scissor earrings, and adjustable rings that snugly “hug” the finger.

As a first-generation Mexican American woman, Jenn has found her heritage to be a double-edged sword. While she has found measurable success in her business, watching her base steadily grow, the concern of stability within the business took root in her family’s support. Professionally, Jenn also feels that she often must work harder than those around her to ensure that her voice is heard and that she’s taken seriously. She nonetheless finds motivation from this same drawback, pushing through any obstacles in her path, making sure that she leaves behind no regrets.

A student at Baruch, Jenn’s work can be found on her Instagram as well as on grannyvintageshop.com.