The COLOURS Organization, Inc., is gearing up to relaunch a publication aimed at both education and entertainment.
The COLOURS Magazine is set for a soft launch in August, with the first edition to be officially released the first week of November — in conjunction with the inaugural COLOURS Week, a series of events that will include the organization’s Crystal Ball.
The magazine was originally produced more than 20 years ago but fell by the wayside in the mid-1990s. This second incarnation will include both a quarterly print edition and a digital site with revolving content.
“We want to diversify what we’re doing for the community and also offer the community a platform,” said COLOURS executive director Mark Wilson, who noted that recent events also factored into the organization’s decision to revive the effort. “A lot of things have been happening in our nation where people of color have not been treated in the best of lights — shootings, police brutality — and it’s important that our community has a positive outlet.”
The magazine will include sections on health, technology, music and more, all aimed at LGBT of color audiences.
The effort will be led by editor Joseph Bryant, assistant editor Christopher Weaver, COLOURS public-relations manager Lucky Fischer and other COLOURS staff and contributors.
Bryant, who earned an English degree from Cheyney University, said he’s aiming to make the magazine intergenerational.
“There are a lot of our issues not being addressed so this magazine seeks to not only address those, but give ourselves a voice in a positive way so we can express who we are as individuals and as a collective group,” Bryant said.
The organization plans to reach out to local schools to recruit youth contributors and is also going to enlist community organizations and businesses for involvement, such as through advertisements and sponsorships.
Wilson said COLOURS will distribute the print version at community events and at local organizations, health providers and other agencies.
“We definitely want to get the community involved and make sure there is buy-in from the community,” Wilson said. “We want to provide another service for the community to get involved with being creative, artistic, being mentors and overall helping us all be better storytellers.”
Weaver, who served as the publication’s editor in 1996, said he’s eager to bring the magazine’s mission to new audiences.
“I want to help COLOURS reach a new generation, a younger generation that wasn’t aware of the magazine,” he said. “We want to reach everyone, across generations, and make people aware that the organization exists and use the magazine to create a brighter landscape for people of color in our community.”
The magazine relaunch is part of COLOURS’ ongoing evolution said Wilson, who became the organization’s director earlier this year.
“There’s been a lot of growth recently. We brought on three new board members so we have a different board now with a new vision. We’re diversifying current programs and bringing in new services,” he said. “We’re excited to keep moving forward, and that’s what this magazine is doing: It’s important for us to give back to the community and show that there are people in our community doing very positive things.”
COLOURS is currently searching for the face of the first edition. Community members over age 18 interested in being featured on the cover should submit their favorite Instagram photo of themselves to [email protected] by midnight June 15.