What comes to mind when you hear the word REVOLT? Is it Rebellion? Or an attempt to overthrow authority? While that may be somewhat true, two Wilfrid Laurier University students are trying to break societal norms and create a platform where everyone is welcome.
Second year student Lily Perez said the idea for Revolt came about in a rather interesting way while she was in her first year at WLU.
“I had recently been let go from another club around campus that revolved around fashion where I was told my graphic design skills did not live up their standards. This was a really confusing time for me and definitely took a toll on my self-esteem. However, I had faith in myself and in my own skills and decided that instead of wasting time being sad over a lost opportunity, I should just make a new opportunity for myself.
Perez said that during her first semester she worked fiercely on creating the concepts and designs for what would eventually become REVOLT Magazine. Together with her friend and partner in crime, Wurdah Syed, also a second year student, they intend to start a revolution not only on their campus but also on campuses everywhere.
“Revolt in itself is a pretty abstract concept. There is no way to easily define Revolt, however, if I had to sum it up in one sentence I would say it is all about “revolting from the norm,” said magazine founder Perez. “Growing up, my style was never advertised in mainstream media and I would have to turn to more alternative outlets to see people sporting the same items as me. Revolt caters towards the “weirdos” of the world; all of the people who couldn’t relate to the mainstream magazines of their time like Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar. We also love to promote alternative culture and all things revolving hypebeast culture.”
Wurdah Syed, who is the co-founder says that their goal is to reach a bigger audience than just Laurier, “we want individuals from different campuses to feel the passion we both have for the magazine. If we can have even a few people inspired and uplifted, while showcasing and supporting talent…then we’re meeting our goal.”
The two said their team is full of creative collectives with a common goal: to create. At the end of the day, their goal is to push out content that the general public is too scared to discuss and produce. They hope that they can inspire anyone and everyone who reads the magazine. Revolt tries to discuss taboo topics that not only please the majority but more importantly resonate with the minority.
“We want everyone to feel represented at University because we both know how hard that transition of wanting to fit in and make genuine friends can be…We want to inspire everyone in some way or another through our magazine – even if it’s from an article they resonate with.”
Eventually, they want all university campuses, including Carleton, to adapt to this model and create a safe media outlet for those who might not necessarily ‘fit in’.