This past summer I was sitting at a mechanic garage waiting for my car to be serviced and stumbled across @ThatBossMag while glancing over at the magazine rack. There was the mag poking out beneath many; and what stood out was a red headed sister (Trish - Toronto music artist) looking glam on the eye catching cover of a magazine I've never seen before. I moved the other mags to the left, and looked over the cover intensely, wondering why I have not seen or heard of the U.S. magazine before - automatically assuming it was so. I was delighted to learn once I began flipping through the wonderful layout, inviting and easy to read pages, that BOSS Magazine is right out of my very own city; via Jane and Finch! Hello!
I was even more excited and impressed reading about the contributors of BOSS who are all young creative minds, and future entrepreneurs who are building themselves and each other by giving a different voice (their own) from their community using this media platform.
Read more on this refreshing and vibrant publication, and the same for the editor-in-chief of the mag who is going against all odds by living up the name of the magazine 'Boss' lady Tamika Johnson.
Without hesitation, I reached out to 24 year old Tamika Johnson, the editor-in-chief at BOSS who is a double major honor student in Criminology and Philosophy at York University in Toronto, with goals set out to become a Supreme Court Judge. Tamika explains the concept and vision of the magazine in the first issue by saying....
"This magazine is not just a fashion and lifestyle magazine. BOSS is Jane & Finch's own media outlet. We youth are tired of being stereotyped by our addresses, our age and our culture. You will read this magazine and not only recognize fashion but you will feel the intensity of our message in every article.....Jane and Finch is filled with beautiful, talented people."
Ms. Johnson goes on to say..."We have received many negative responses to our idea for this magazine. In all honesty that just gave us more fuel to challenge ourselves.....There were a lot of negative forces but we pressed on, all these negative occurrences brought us closer together, taught us lessons and allowed us to appreciate Boss. So it was all for the greater good."
"Truthfully it took me a long time to own that title (of the mag). As a woman of colour it is said that we are always at two disadvantages. One being of colour and the next being a woman. My mother Lorraine Anderson, community leader, has raised me and supported me to believe anything I want to do is possible and I am living testament to that."
This is a well rounded quarterly mag, and is a resourceful and great addition to the city, which in no way shape or form fits the stereotype of the community it's coming out of; and that says a whole lot as the mag represents the community in trendsetting fabulous form, there is no other that I am aware of.
They cover topics from finance, to education, to fitness; and in an article titled "Back Packs and Baby Bags" - focused on a young mother living in North York sharing her experience on raising a child at a young age in Toronto, and describes how the family structures have changed with single parent family being more of the norm today. While the rhythm of the mag is fashion, it is delivered with all sounds related to Toronto, including features on the latest Toronto talents in arts, sports, fashion, and music.
I am looking forward to picking up BOSS Magazine next issue due out soon, and also looking forward to chatting it up with the BOSS lady herself Tamika Johnson in the fast approaching new year, on my radio segment (CHRY 105.5 FM) as well a 'TO Spotlight' post right here on MCM STYLE featuring Ms. Johnson.
You can get your copy of BOSS Magazine in Toronto at the Toronto Public Library - York Woods location and at Doorsteps. For more info visit www.bossmag.biz
This magazine sounds good...Where else can I get it?
ReplyDeleteYou can email bossmag01@gmail.com to get a copy. Thanks for the article!
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