Courtesy of Rae Carlson

I’m here to introduce you to Rae, not as an “emo”, but as a student, as an artist, and a friend.

Emos. You may not understand the subculture of emo, or what makes someone emo. But when you see one in the halls, you can’t help but see them as emo.

Emotional hardcore is a music genre that formed from a schism in the hardcore scene and many self-identifying emos are fans of the music. However, in a more casual context, emos are thought to be those with dark clothes, dyed hair, interesting makeup, or really anyone who deviates from the norms. 

I’m here to introduce you to Rae, not as an “emo”, but as a student, as an artist, and a friend. They actually don’t consider themselves emo, but rather more goth or punk, listening to bands such as The Cure and Dirty Bynum. 

When asked about their fashion icons, Rae referenced the character Hobie Brown from Across the Spider-Verse. 

There are plenty of misconceptions surrounding Rae, one being that they’re mean because of the music and style they like. When asked about this, Rae said, “I feel like a lot of people think I want to murder them. You’re not so important that I would consider killing you, you’re a high school freshman, I don’t care.”

Instead of being known for being “emo”, Rae hopes that they’ll be known for their art. “My art is typically more on the unusual side… Seeing myself in the future in art, I would probably do digital art like commissions or selling stuff- a lot of small businesses exist today. Or something with fashion [They’re currently taking an NHS fashion class]. I feel like there isn’t enough unusual fashion in the world that’s easily accessible.” 

This sentiment is one I share, and when I asked them to expand upon this Rae answered, “Fast fashion sucks so much and it’s horrible how much ends up in landfills. So I try my best not to be wasteful when I’m sewing. I don’t sew much but one of the things I’m working on is collecting trash from around the school and turning it into clothes. It’s fun and a waste-reducing project.” This idea has become large-scale with brands such as Patagonia and Zero Waste Daniel. 

All in all, Rae is a well-rounded student who’s not only artistically talented but also a good friend who has a flair for the unusual. When asked what they had to say to the readers of the Port Press, Rae advises that the student body should “Calm down, it’s high school. It’s not that serious. Just let people be them because they’re not harming anyone with the things they like.”