If you type in the hashtag #FreeSylvie on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter you will find images of various rappers, musicians, artists and high school kids wearing a shirt that bears the image of Sylvie Mix and the call for her liberation.
  Sylvie is not a rapper arrested for drugs or murder. She is not a political prisoner.

Sylvie Mix is a 16 year-old Columbus Alternative High School AP Physics student whose mother Maika Carter and friend Thom Lessner came up with an innovative form of discipline that raised a decent amount of money for the Mid-Ohio Foodbank by selling the aforementioned Free Sylvie T-Shirts.
  Sylvie’s explained her peer pressure induced crime.

  “I had a party at our house while my mom was recovering from surgery at one of her friend’s houses. Super, duper inconsiderate timing on my part. For the record, it was not my idea alone.”
  Maika Carter was recuperating at her friend Sonya Fix’s house. Maika had adrenal gland removal surgery three Days prior to the teen party. A parent of a kid who went to the party face-booked Maika late in the night notifying her of Sylvie’s unauthorized soiree.

  Maika recalled the frantic late night moment that occurred in Mid-September.
  “I woke Sonya up and Sonya drove me over there in slippers and a nightgown and an army jacket. By the time I got there. There were only two kids left. They came down and played innocent. Sylvie was passed out in her bed.”
  The party itself wasn’t too crazy. There was little bit of underage drinking but nothing too detrimental happened.
  Maika compared the party to a Scooby Doo episode.
  “They conjured a ghost. Everyone got scared of the ghost. A bunch people left for a minute went to Waffle House and came back. Sylvie was playing some solo violin concert in her room. She was up there by herself playing on the violin. Everyone gathers around and is giving her props for this awful violin thing.”
  However, the party was unsanctioned, and insensitive because Maika was healing from surgery. Maika grounded her daughter until winter break after a dialogue and an apology from Sylvie. Mid-September to December 21st is a pretty long time to be grounded.
  Sylvie’s friends began to tweet #FreeSylvie to Maika.
  “They started sending me imprisonment quotes. They started sending me Johnny Cash. I’d send them Abe Lincoln. Then they would send me Tupac.”  Maika said, adding the social network debate was all in fun.
  “They weren’t honestly saying Sylvie shouldn’t be punished. They get it. It was just taking it to a funny place.”
  Maika told her friend Thom Lessner about the party, disciplinary action and corresponding viral protest. Lessner suggested making “Free Sylvie” shirts, The original idea was Sylvie would design, manufacture and sell 50 shirts at 10 dollars a shirt.

The proceeds after cost would be donated to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.
  Maika decreed that if Sylvie was able to raise 500 dollars then she would be let off punishment at five weeks instead of having to wait for winter break.
  Sylvie was a little shy at first but came around after some encouragement from friends.
  “They were just like ‘oh my god yeah. That is awesome. Do it, Your mom is so cool.’” Sylvie said.
  Sylvie went down to Abnormal Allies, an Old Town East clothing company family friend Craig Dransfield runs, and printed the “Free Sylvie” shirts after designing the garments herself.
  She brought them to school and they sold.
  “Two weeks ago I brought the first 50 to school. That night social media was just blowing up. I got all these orders from twitter and instagram. I was like: ‘this is crazy. I don’t know what to do.’ I had to order 70 more shirts.” said Sylvie.
  At press time, Sylvie has sold 125 shirts, and raised $625. They dropped the profits off at the Mid-Ohio Food Bank on November 13th.
  Sylvie is no longer grounded.
  Sylvie appreciates the lesson learned and her mother in general.

  Maika is an artist and designer in her own regard. Maika graduated from CCAD after Studying Fashion and Art.
  Maika did the artwork and photos for RJD2’s 2013 More Is That Isn’t album.  Maika has an Narrative Photography show at the CCAD’s Canzani Center in January.

  Sylvie said she thinks her mom is pretty cool.
  “A lot of people my age have relationships with their moms that is like, 'this is my parent.’ That’s as far at the relationship goes. My mom is my best friend. I feel comfortable telling her pretty much anything. She is just reasonable about things. I can talk to her like a person. Which is cool. Not just as my superior.”