Casting Culture: New Faces of a Conscious Generation
In this story, we cast a spotlight on a generation navigating identity, culture, and the urgent realities of our world. These young voices of students, creatives, educators, artists - and models - reflect on what makes them unique, the traditions they carry, and the ways they engage with a planet in flux. From the intimacy of hugging a beloved pet to the exhilaration of a sunrise hike, they reveal how moments of joy are intertwined with awareness: awareness of environmental fragility, the weight of plastic pollution all around us, and the call to act before it’s too late. They honor their roots, celebrate cultural identity, and face change with curiosity, not fear. Through their faces, their words, and their eyes, we glimpse the future: messy, radiant, and fully alive.
PHOTOGRAPHY ANGEL CASTRO @___angelcastro
HAIR ANDRE GUNN @888dre @artdeptagencyla
MAKEUP JOHANNA NOMIEY @johannanomiey @homeagency using @submission.beauty
CASTING MOLLIE MAGUIRE @molliemaguire @molliemaguirecasting
MODELS ARI @nextla CAROLINE @thesweetestmeat @minellimanagement CYRUS @cyrus_hulme @kev_mgmt SARITA @ch1ngona_af @photogenicsla SASHA @sashab_xd @antiagencyldn
SASHA, 25, LOS ANGELES, CREATIVE VERNON (IN A GOOD WAY)
“I feel the most happy when I am hugging my puppy Marzipan, he is my ultimate bestie forevzies.”
“The current state of our environment is diabolical. Crashing and burning in front of our eyes. My only source of breeze where I live is car exhaustion and fossil fuel....”
ARI, 16, MODEL
“Culture is like an onion; it’s got layers. Each layer you peel back reveals a diverse set of beliefs, values, and traditions. As I’ve gotten older, culture has been a more prominent aspect of my life. It differentiates me from others and creates a uniqueness in my family. I feel that as I’ve grown, I’ve come to appreciate my culture and begun to more deeply recognize the parts of my culture I grew up within my family and my surroundings.”
“The state of our environment has been made clear in the past century. Plastics are now commonplace in every mile of the ocean, in the streets, and even in our bodies. I believe that action needs to be taken now to account for the irreversible damage that has been done already.”
CYRUS, 20, MODEL
“I feel most happy when I’m outside in nature. I’m extremely grateful to be living in Los Angeles where I can access both the mountains and the beach, and my favorite ways to relax are through a morning hike or bike ride.”
“Recently, I’ve learned to welcome and embrace changes in my life. I think the most intimidating changes I’ve faced, such as moving to New York and transferring schools, have given way to the most important periods of change in my life thus far. I hope to proceed with this in mind and plan to welcome changes as new opportunities.”
CAROLINE, 24 LOS ANGELES, GRAD STUDENT IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, MODEL, VISUAL ARTIST
“The current state of our environment feels fragile. There’s so much beauty, but also a sense of chaos and uncertainty - fear about what we don’t yet understand, and fear about what we do understand feel powerless to change. My hope is that we learn to work with nature, rather than against it, and in doing so, stop working against ourselves.”
“I am happiest when I’m in nature, especially on long hikes where I lose track of time.”