Sarah Rafferty

Don’t Mess with Sarah Rafferty

In this homage to Film Noir she shoots first and asks questions later!

Photography by Jeff Vespa

Thankfully for us, Sarah Rafferty isn’t always a tough femme fatale, we had a chance after the dust settled to talk with her and find out more about how she got her start and what drove her to get where she is today. Here is what she shared with us.

SR: I am from Greenwich, CT and I am the youngest of four girls. That kind of dynamic home life, encourages you to develop your own voice and make yourself heard. I grew up listening to my big sisters music, going to their school plays and at least once a year my parents would take us all to NYC to see a broadway play. I remember sitting next to my sister Connie at Les Mis, and being spellbound. At the curtain call we leapt to our feet and found ourselves shamelessly and inexplicably crying. Of course we bought the cast album, on cassette and listened to it constantly. When she got her drivers license, we used to climb in the car, and belt out the tunes as she drove us around town for hours. I definitely fantasized about playing Jean val Jean, or Javert on Broadway one day. I think my deeply earnest high school yearbook senior quote came from Les Mis. Must have.

[…]

Posted in Galleries, Movies, Verge | Comments Off on Sarah Rafferty

Azita Ghanizada

Azita Ghanizada - Jeff Vespa / VergeAzita Ghanizada - Jeff Vespa / Verge   Azita Ghanizada - Jeff Vespa / Verge   Azita Ghanizada - Jeff Vespa / Verge

Azita Ghanizada was born in Kabul…

Yes, that Kabul as in Afghanistan.

Photography Jeff Vespa

Azita opened up to us about what it was like growing up with a dream that could have gotten her killed in her home country.

V: What was your childhood like? 

AG: In a nutshell … rough, we were lost in translation in the suburbs of Washington D.C. nothing really made a lot of sense. There was conflict we had just escaped, a lot of news about war & death, a lot of merging two cultures into school.  Trying to fit in, trying to be pretend to be kid when you had already seen too much to believe in the innocence of the world.  TV & books were my escape, they taught me English, they taught me how American culture worked … it was everything to me. TV & the public library, the only two things I was even really allowed to experience safely.

[…]

Posted in Galleries, Verge | Comments Off on Azita Ghanizada

Josie Loren

Josie Loren - Verge

Josie Loren’s Next Chapter

Photography by Jeff Vespa

 After four years on a hit TV show “Make It Or Break It,” Josie Loren is ready for her next challenge. She has worked hard to get here and trust us she isn’t going anywhere.

JL: I had a blessed and beautiful childhood in Miami, Florida. My parents are still together and I am number 3 of 4 kids. We already had a full house, but our friends and family were always over. Our house was the “it” house to come to. It was where everyone gathered on holidays and where people came to throw their parties. To say that our house was loud and boisterous is an understatement. There was ALWAYS something going on. It was great and I wouldn’t change it for the world, but in the hustle and bustle of it all it was very easy to get lost. I soon learned how to get people’s attention by being funny or dramatic. It worked every time. […]

Posted in Discoveries, Verge | Comments Off on Josie Loren