Strike Orlando’s Birth Chart: Meet The Big Three

Strike Magazine Orlando, an organization with a heart and soul, fittingly has a Big Three at its core. Strike Orlando’s Big Three are at the center of the magazine, in charge of keeping all moving parts in line.

Strike Orlando’s Birth Chart

Sun: Editor-In-Chief (Tiano Valmyr)

Moon: Creative Director (Liz Fernandez)

Rising: External Director (Josh Jacobs)

Strike Orlando’s Sun Sign

*Tiano Valmyr**: Editor-in-Chief (EIC)*

Sun Sign, Explained:

Astrologically, The Sun Sign is representative of one’s core identity, how we view ourselves, our ego— it marks our defining characteristics. It speaks to who we are deep down— pride, ego, self-perception— it's central to who we are.

What Do You Do as Strike’s EIC?:

“As EIC, I just oversee the magazine.” With such a large staff and so many different teams, it’s basically split into two main parts. “There are two sides to the magazine— the creative side and the external side. And I feel like I am just like the glue in between them… making sure everything is working.”

How Does The Sun Sign Represent the EIC Role?:

Our Sun Sign is kind of like who we are to ourselves, our most literal selves– the center of the astrological action in our birth charts. The EIC role being the overseer of the magazine is pretty much in tune with the idea of our Sun Sign being our own ego, our consciousness. Just as the EIC oversees all of Strike Orlando’s work, our Sun Sign lords over our astrological chart, representing our central identity.

What Does Astrology Mean to Tiano (EIC)?:

“Astrology…well, I don’t look at it too deeply… But, for me, it’s a great conversation starter to get to know people. I think that’s the first question I ask people — what’s your Sign?…I don’t take it too [literally] though—there’s so many stereotypes and I hate the subtle [discrimination] based on your Sign”

Strike Orlando’s Moon Sign

Liz Fernandez: Creative Director (CD)

Moon Sign, Explained:

The Moon Sign speaks for the parts of ourselves we can’t express literally— for what we feel on a deep, soulful, and emotional level. The Moon Sign is our emotional core, revealing our memories, emotions, comfort, desires, intuition, and feelings… Said to be our innermost self, one’s Moon Sign is aligned with our true emotions, and seen only through our creativity, comfort, or solitude.

What Do You Do as Strike’s CD?:

“As Creative Director, my job is to come up with the concepts for the issue…. But, we try to keep it very collaborative since this issue is not only mine, but it’s all of Strike’s… So my day-to-day kinda consists of checking in with the teams… making sure [everything’s getting done and going smoothly].” Strike Orlando’s Creative Director is essentially charged with conceptualizing the chapter’s projects and seeing them through to the end— closely overseeing and ensuring the execution.

How Does The Moon Sign Represent the CD Role?:

“I knew coming into the Creative Director role I wanted to create something that made people feel something.” A lot of emotion can be expressed through art, and the work and feelings of the staff become clear when everything comes together. A vision that was only a concept in the CD's mind later becomes a project harboring the emotions, effort, and artistry of the entire staff. It’s not work that can be done super straightforwardly— it’s nuanced, artistic, emotional… creative. It’s the soft emotional side of Strike. Past aesthetic value, our work can be deciphered to reveal an emotional appeal. Just as our Moon Sign is representative of our emotions, the work of the Creative Director ultimately reflects the souls of our staff.

What Does Astrology Mean to Liz (CD)?:

“I view Astrology as a fun little check-in.. who knows what’s gonna be happening? I don’t really take it too seriously.”

Strike Orlando’s Rising Sign:

Josh Jacobs: External Director (ED)

Rising Sign, Explained:

One’s Rising Sign, or Ascendant Sign, embodies their outward perception, making it representative of how we present ourselves to others. Down to the first impression we make, the energy we put out into the world, and how people view us. It’s the Sign that sums up what part of ourselves the world sees when they perceive us.

What Do You Do as Strike’s ED?:

Put most simply, “I’m in charge of all the things that aren’t in print.” Whether it’s events, social media, branding, campaigning, brand deals, etc., the External Director oversees the careful curation of a cohesive identity for Strike Orlando. It’s all about showcasing the staff’s work and establishing a foothold in the Orlando creative scene.

How Does The Rising Sign Represent the ED Role?:

In the same vein as the Rising Sign, being the External Director is all about controlling “our outward perception… our events— we’re bringing people in [and] showing off who we are.” Everything the External Director does is meant to create a visible identity for Strike Orlando. Even “our social media is showing off who we are,” down to each post.

What Does Astrology Mean to Josh (ED)?:

“I don’t put so much weight on it… I like reading [horoscopes] and stuff but sometimes I read something and I'm like ‘no that’s not me I can be whatever I want.’”

What Strike Orlando Means to the Big Three

Strike Magazine Orlando’s tagline— “a curated community of young creatives”— is a sentiment firmly upheld by The Big Three at the core of our chapter. Strike Orlando is meant to be “a brand and a community—each part of Strike representing the whole” (Liz, CD). The organization is intended to be a beautiful, diverse showcase of the talents of the entire staff.

The Big Three largely focus on making the staff feel heard in their roles. They give them a platform, somewhere to be creative and expand on their passions, skills, and experiences. Josh characterized Strike Orlando as something of a “springboard or a launchpad into the professional world.” With Strike Orlando regarded as an intersection between professionalism and creativity for staff and followers alike, Josh emphasized the fact that, at the end of the day, “we’re [still] just people… we’re all figuring it out together.” The magazine that we can hold in our hands, the social media posts, the events, photo shoots, blog entries— they’re a result of the work of a collective, not of three directors alone.

Spotlighting the continued effort to strengthen the sense of community and artistic collaboration, Josh dubbed creativity and community as two of this chapter’s foundational values. “I like to make sure that people get … to be creative in the ways they want to … when someone brings me an idea my first thought is ‘how can I clear the path for you,’” Josh explained. Liz expanded on that sentiment, chiming in about how “everybody kinda brings their own perspective to [Strike] and that’s what is so beautiful about it.”

Even at the center of our organization, they emphasize the collective, working to strengthen the sense of community and instill a feeling of shared pride in our work. Whenever a new issue goes to print, or a project comes to fruition, Josh remembers his first time holding an issue of Strike— “I was just… blown away.” There’s a certain sense of accomplishment and pride, “not just for [The Big Three], but for the whole staff” that comes with creating a magazine and seeing your ideas become real art, Liz elaborated. “Once you see it become something you can hold,” Tiano said about the physical magazine, “it’s an amazing feeling”— there’s something about “seeing bits of ourselves in it.”

Strike Orlando’s Creative Director, Liz, expressed how, to her, Strike isn’t just a creative space, but an opportunity to grow— hailing it as a network full of professional and artistic potential at the heart of Orlando.

It takes a village; with the rise of hyper-individualism clouding creative spaces, The Big Three aim to establish Strike Magazine Orlando as a welcoming and opportune community. “As much as [we] may want to take control of everything, there’s a satisfaction in seeing [everyone’s] work” (Tiano, EIC).

BLOG BONUS!

When asked about joining the staff:

“Before I joined Strike I was super intimidated— I actually psyched myself out the first time I was thinking about applying. I kept thinking ‘This seems too like— legit- like I'm too scared- I don’t think I have enough to show’ and when I finally [joined] all that” just faded away.

-Liz Fernandez (CD)

What was the most memorable time you mixed up the words Astronomy and Astrology?:

“I don’t think I have… I mean, I've never had an Astrology class or anything— WAIT—did I just mix it up right there?! Oh my. God. This is the worst moment.”

-Josh Jacobs (ED)

What’s the most ridiculous Astrology-related excuse someone has given you?:

“My boyfriend always blames things on him being like a ‘Virgo-Libra cusp’— whatever the fuck that means…he always says that it’s because he’s a Virgo-Libra cusp… Like, when he hits a curb, cuts someone off, forgets to take out the trash— small little inconveniences— he just blames it on being a Virgo-Libra cusp.”

-Tiano Valmyr ( EIC)

When asked about Mercury in retrograde:

“I can’t remember any time in my life that Mercury was in retrograde.”

- Josh Jacobs (ED)

Strike Out,

Orlando

Written By: Krizia J. Figueroa

Edited By: Olivia Wagner

Krizia J. Figueroa is a Copy Editor and Public Relations Assistant for Strike Magazine Orlando. The avowed writer, artist, and fashion enthusiast is obsessed with collecting weird or odd little experiences and turning them into niche diatribes through her writing. Driven by whimsy, she’s honestly just as confused by her life as you are sometimes. But at least she can turn whims into projects, poems, or paintings, for the sake of productivity and professionalism. For a good time, email kriziajf@gmail.com.

Strike Orlando’s Birth Chart: Meet The Big Three