Chicago is a town known for worldwide successful publications. The Chicago Defender, Ebony, Jet and other publications were born and bred in Chicago and have been Chicago staples for centuries. Recently I had the opportunity to attend Made Media Day at Made at Fame studios in the Chicago Pilsen neighborhood. In the time where many publications are choosing to go digital, Made has come and Made is making its mark in the Chicago media landscape.
Made magazine is a publication that is looking to change the way millennials get their news. Instead of the news stories delivering shade, the latest celebrity gossip or delivering the ‘tea’, Made magazine seeks to highlight positivity, share resources and ultimately help millennials be successful. The publication has three areas of focus: 1. To Educate, 2. To Elevate and 3. To Empower.
According to their Website Made Magazine is a “MULTI-CHANNEL PLATFORM TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF CONTENT CREATORS. MADE is an aggregator and curator of fresh content MADE to inform and inspire our diverse community of forward-thinking millennials. Our mission is to amplify the voices and platforms of content creators and creative leaders, on and offline. Through our multi-channel platform, we publish a bi-monthly digital and print magazine, daily online outlet and monthly national events to cultivate our community.”
With this focus in mind, Made also seeks to amplify the voices of creators of color. This is one of the reasons that Made sought the three areas in which their content is published. Made can be seen in print, online and experienced through live events/ summits and conferences. Made is composed of six channels: Made Mindset (Personal Development), Founders Row (Entrepreneurship), Sound & Color (Art), Hollywood Heights (Entertainment), Creative Currency (Finance) and Made Maven (Women).
According to Made’s publisher Kris Christian, in a time where people are leaving Chicago for places like LA and New York, Chicago is full of opportunities. She states “We have creatives here. People leave but it is important to cultivate a community here.” That is the primary reason that Made has made Chicago it’s home. Made is a magazine for millennials, according to Christian, “60 percent of Made’s readers are female with the other 40 percent of readers being male”.
Made believes that creativity is the currency of the future. That it takes influential networks, rich resources and optimal exposure to harness the power and future of Black creatives. The vibe of the Media Day definitely showed that there was spirit of creativity as well as collaboration. Not only was the Made teams showcasing the work they had already done, they were providing content creators the opportunity to work with them in order to be featured on one or several of Made’s platforms.
The publications that were already been printed as well as the digital version of the magazine were impressive. The content was created for the everyday person and was relevant and relatable. The digital version was full of fresh content and easy to navigate. Made is definitely a publication of the future and a welcome addition to the rich literary landscape of Chicago.
For more information or to check out Made: http://www.made-magazine.com/
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This Single Sole 