Welcome to Hinray.com, the personal online portfolio of artist, director, and journalist Henry Thomas. Now you may be wondering, why the nickname hinray..? Well, I really wish I could give you more of an answer than when I was in the third grade I thought it was a fun play on my name. & Now I have the bragging rights to an original and short name to own a 6-letter social media handle–and a concise website domain.

Hinray now is a brand identity. A self-proclaimed jack of all trades, I want to defy the myth of mastering none. During my time at UNC, I’ve graduated with a double major in Spanish and Journalism w/ an interdisciplinary certificate in Fashion. While in undergrad I’ve written for multiple publications, and created digital and ad content for two magazines and a satire.

From the time I got to UNC I was creating content that emphasized the visual component as well as the written, creating multiple political zines and reporting for the local newspaper, the Daily Tar Heel. During my time abroad I discovered my interest in fashion editorial, and I’ve been working in fashion non-stop ever since.

When I started writing for the University fashion publication, Coulture, I quickly involved myself however I could. Each year with the magazine I’ve had an article published. Additionally, in my final year with the magazine I served as an Associate Editor, directing, styling, and conceptualizing photoshoots for the magazine.

Around the time I started with the magazine I also helped one of my closest friends to start a satire publication, for which now I serve as an editor and treasurer. As treasurer I design and create all of our ads from scratch, highlighting local student-run businesses on our social media.

Before my senior year, I interned with WALTER Magazine, a local arts and culture based publication, where I edited our print content cover to cover, created multiple online articles, and wrote copy for ads produced by the magazine.

One of the overwhelming themes of my work has been blending artistic themes and mediums with political subject matter. This has manifested as commentaries on gender blind-clothing, produced zines about sustainable agriculture and mental health, and photo spreads on fashion elitism. A major career goal of mine to create my own publication that highlights underrepresented portrayals of fashion and art.

Growing up in a rural North Carolina town, I was glad to have access to small but mighty reservoirs of arts education. However, rural communities have often been at the forefront of limited financial support when it comes to the arts, especially with recent slashes in funding from the NEA (see “Why small and rural arts groups may hurt the most under Trump’s plan to gut the NEA”, pbs.org).

I’ve also witnessed the fashion industry seemingly skip over rural communities perhaps out of lack of necessity for luxury and fashion in areas with significantly less economic development and interest in the market (“The Diversity of Luxury: Understanding the Demographics of Upscale Fashionistas”, mediaculture.com), even in lieu of the recent co-opting of country and small town aesthetics.

Art shouldn’t be something that you have to struggle for–especially to even have access to in the first place. Glamour isn’t something that should feel out of reach. In my work I want people to understand the power they wield, the type of person they want to be. I want my writing to be relatable to those small tight-knit communities. I want to put people in touch with goods and services that they may want–not just need–made my people just like them, wherever they may live.

Hence, Hinray.com: a website that is for those that don’t feel like big dreams should be limited to big places.