Tag: #Media

Made Magazine

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.

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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.

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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.”

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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).

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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”.

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Kris Christian, Publisher

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/

Be Blessed, Be Fabulous

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Girls Trip: Big Fun, Big Laughs

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Girls Trip officially hits theaters this Friday.  Fortunately, I have already seen the movie so I can to share a little TEA with you all about the movie.  So here goes…

Thanks to Universal Pictures and the organizers of BlogHer I as able to see an advance screening of this movie during the annual BlogHer conference myself and a select group of bloggers were able to see this movie a few weeks ago, and I am happy I had the opportunity.  This was one of the funniest movies I have seen in a very long time.  When I say funny, I mean laugh out loud, tears in your eyes funny.  This is a plan the evening, go see the movie with your girls and then head out for margaritas and martinis to talk and possibly plan your own Girls Trip.

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This movie took place at one of the largest and heavily attended events for African Americans, the annual Essence Fest in New Orleans.  Essence for those who haven’t been is a time for fun, inspiration, food and partying.  I have attended Essence several times, and while I did not have as much fun as theses women did I did experience a few similar issues.  1.  Lodging during Essence is always an issue.  If you plan to go, book your hotel as soon as the dates are released.  You do not want to end up in a less than desirable hotel in New Orleans during Essence, IJS.    Secondly, you will party at Essence if you plan too.  There is no shortage of partying and fun during Essence, but back to the movie.

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Essence was an appropriate backdrop for this movie.  The characters, the situations and the events fit perfectly.  There could not have been any greater locale for this movie.  Tiffany Haddish, was the star of this movie.  She is real, hilarious and keeps you laughing throughout the movie.  Her character keeps the fun and at times the drama going.  If you don’t have a friend like her or similar to her you need to find one.

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This movie is laugh out loud funny.  It is be carful drinking during the movie because you could possibly choke laughing.  There are serious parts and serious issues that occur during the movie, but for the most part expect to have many belly laughs.  Expect to leave the theater feeling good and in a good mood.  Girls Trip is definitely a chick flick so I would suggest going with your girlfriends and not on a date night.

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My rating for Girl’s Trip is a 10. It gets 10 stars.  This movie will have you laughing until you cry, reminiscing about your college days and the days when asymmetric hairstyles and 8-ball jackets were the fashion, and reflecting about the responsibility and challenges that everyday life brings.  Go see this movie and after you see it come back and let me know what you think in the comments.  I know me and my girls have already planned our Girls Night out to see Girl’s Trip.

Be Blessed, Be Fabulous!

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