It’s clear to see that our new Blogger of the Month (BOTM) Carol Zhang has a passion for showcasing other people’s talents. From her interview with up and coming musician Vincent Christianson, her article on local artist Natálie Slabá and various posts for the Youth of YYC series, Carol has done an amazing job of showcasing the talents and accomplishments other youth in Calgary have and I think it’s about time someone recognized hers. I had the opportunity to interview our lovely BOTM to get to know her a bit better. Without further ado, I present to you Carol Zhang.
Q: Why did you want to start writing for Youth Are Awesome?
A: I wanted to write for YAA because expressing myself through writing is the best way I know how. The written word is something I’ve always felt a deep connection to and I wanted to share my words with the public. But at the same time, Calgary is a city that I’ve grown to love (and really, I can’t imagine living in any other city I’ve visited), and I wanted to share my thoughts with the fantastic youth of Calgary. YAA seemed to be a perfect fit for me.
Q: What inspires you?
A: My main inspiration is music. I listen to everything from classical to pop to country to math rock. I love the storytelling aspect of music and its universality throughout cultures. I feel a connection to harmonies and lyrics that I don’t with anything else, and I can spend hours sitting on the couch listening to a song on repeat. Honestly though, a lot of everyday things like overheard snippets of conversations and unexpected smells inspire me more than anything else I can put a finger down on.
Q: How would you describe yourself?
A: I’m really weird and I kind of have a split personality. Most days I’m usually just the quiet person sitting like a creepy plant in a corner of the room, but whenever I’m alone with my friends and/or if I’ve had too much sugar/caffeine/homework I turn into this loud, hyperaffectionate unicorn.
Q: How do you hope to inspire people through the Youth of YYC series?
A: Youth of YYC focuses a lot on the stories of normal, everyday youth in Calgary. I think my biggest goal for the Youth of YYC movement is to show that regardless of the things they’re involved in and the things they’ve achieved, be it a lot or very little, each youth of YYC has their own story to tell. I want them to know that they shouldn’t force themselves into trying to fit themselves into the box that society has defined as ‘successful’, and that they’ll appreciate themselves for who they are.
Q: Which one of your blog posts are you most proud of?
A: “Five Musicians for the Adventurous Palate” is definitely my favourite. I spent a ton of time rifling through my music library to find the songs I wanted to share, and it turned out to be a really well-balanced collection that I was really proud of. The Bearded Gypsy Band, one of the artists I featured, retweeted it. I spent a good ten straight minutes spinning around in my chair and squealing.
