Posted on 08/13/2002 8:56:57 AM PDT by Tancred
Black girls get a magazine of their own Tue Aug 13,11:25 AM ET
By Emilie Ostrander
How does a 13-year-old start her own magazine?
"First step is to lay down all your ideas and what you want to accomplish. Second is accomplishing it," says Kenya J. of Atlanta.
Kenya recently started Blackgirl, a new magazine for girls.
Blackgirl is not an ordinary teen magazine. Kenya says she wanted a magazine that was more than just entertainment news.
"I wanted to read about history and culture and style," Kenya says. "What brings us to our style today? I wanted a magazine that had answers to questions."
Kenya was also tired of having her mother snatch away magazines when Mom found something inappropriate. "I wanted a magazine that was for me and my friends," she says.
To get the publication started, Kenya used the money she earned from a cakebaking business. With help from her mom, she developed the concept of Blackgirl and hired a printer and designer.
In just three issues, Kenya has introduced readers to their history and culture. Black Wall Street; Madam C.J. Walker, the first female African-American millionaire; and a man who survived a lynching in the 1960s all have been profiled.
"These are different things a young girl should know about," explains Kenya, who says she believes it's important for girls to know their history. "You can't go into the future without knowing the past."
Blackgirl readers can expect to learn something and have fun, Kenya says. The magazine also features interviews with artists like Lauryn Hill and athletes like Venus and Serena Williams ( news - web sites).
Kenya writes many of the magazine's articles herself. However, she also looks for contributors. The man who survived the lynching, for example, was someone she asked to tell his story.
Kenya says she's able to meet and interview influential leaders by being involved in the community. "I go to lectures and meetings around town," she says. "I meet these different people and ask them to write for us."
Readers of Blackgirl also can expect empowering messages, like "no limits," which is written on the next issue's cover. "It shows when black girls come together, there are no limits," Kenya says.
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Blackgirl is available by subscription. The magazine is $24 for six issues. Visit www.blackgirlmagazine.com for more information.
Doesn't she know she's stunted for life because her ancestors were slaves? (/sarcasm)
No offense intended to anybody, of course. I just find it rather disingenuous to play both sides of the race issue like this.
This girl is an inspiration. Maybe she can be an alternative roll model to young urban girls, who see little else but "hoochy mamas".
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It's not a matter of encouraging it through actions. My daughter (who'll be 14 tomorrow) took a look at the various teen magazines out there, and while some of the things in the mainstream teen mags are things that she enjoys, the hair care stories do not apply to her at all.
And that's just an initial example. I can totally sympathize with the mother who wants to encourage her daughter to read magazines that are on the market, but is not happy with things like "CosmoGirl" (and I'd end up snatching that one from my daughter as well - you should see some of the crap in that one!).
The handful of black-oriented teen magazines are not that good either. Take a look at "Honey," which is probably one of the best-produced of that crop. Most of you would understand if I didn't want my daughter to read some of the articles in there either.
To address the other side of the coin, there are mainstream magazines that are geared (without saying so) toward white youth. "Cosmo Teen" (gag), "Seventeen," "Teen People," and "YM" all gear themselves in that direction, yet do not provide regular articles that portray young black women on an ongoing basis.
When you aren't getting what you want from the mainstream, rather than complaining, this girl and her mother did what most of America should do - they put their money where their mouths are.
It's not a matter of playing the race card. It's no different than someone producing a Christian-oriented magazine when they do not find what they need/want out of a mainstream magazine. It isn't meant to slight or marginalize anyone by any stretch, but at the same time, what it is meant to do is to provide additional voices/resources by, for and to a group that has not had this previously.
Of course, the other side of the coin is that it creates a fiscal vehicle that will provide one heck of a business education for that youngster as well. Now, if that's bad, then someone please explain to me how.
She's obviously trying to talk White. She needs to learn more about keepin' it real.
</sarcasm>
But seriously...
I wonder how long it will be before Kenya really does hear someone criticizing her for "acting White". Her two steps are the two things that impoverished Blacks usually refuse to do. They've been taught by race pimps like Sharpton and Jackson to "blame Whitey" for all of their woes. As long as the blame others, the true cause of the poverty, themselves, will go unaddressed.
I tread lightly in topics like this, because one could easily assume I'm a white supremacist. No, I'm for equality of the races in every sense. That means no special privileges or standards for ANY race, whether the majority or the minority.
By all means, encourage entrepreneurial initiative in our youth. I applaud her for that. And perhaps her magazine is well-intentioned. I just happen to think it reinforces the whole issue of race, which is another form of racism, however innocently conceived.
This young lady seems empowered enough for all of us. I wonder when Jackson and Sharpton will be contacting her for their cut, as we all know you can't be empowered unless you go through them.
If she can make money, she should go for it. As for all white publications - we still got the Ice Hockey mags.
Will she carry ads for Whitegirl Magazine?
Why expect a black girl to start a magazine that isn't geared to her interests?
My guess is she is less concerned about the race part of "Black" than the adult reporting it.
Ya beat me to it. I'm not black, but have often wondered (while parusing the "personal hygene" section of the supermarket) where blacks go to see advertisements for different hair care products. Let's face it, there is a difference between blacks and whites when it comes to things like hair care. Most current teen magazines are by default geared towards white girls. That's just a fact. So from that perspective I see nothing wrong with this endeavor.
As for this Blackgirl magazine spreading liberal propaganda, well, if it does then it won't be any damn different from any other teen magazine. LOL
In just three issues, Kenya has introduced readers to their history and culture. Black Wall Street; Madam C.J. Walker, the first female African-American millionaire; and a man who survived a lynching in the 1960s all have been profiled.
What is the likelihood you will see an article in her magazine by a white victim of crime targeted solely because of their race by black perps?
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