Caron Williams: The hip-hop maven behind The Plug Magazine
[bctt tweet=”It’s a balancing act offering our audience what they want to read & what we feel is an important story” via=”no”] By now, everyone in the industry knows the lovely Caron Williams. Hailing from Cape Town, this beauty has been in the creative industry for years and has now added “Editor” to her resume. The Plug, the new and freshest hip-hop online magazine has really changed the game in such a short amount of time. The Plug gives you the need to know and the latest on all things hip-hop, fashion and urban culture –locally and abroad. This magazine has been an incredible platform, giving us in-depth insight into our favourite local and international artists in a fresh and innovative way. As a young Black woman, Caron is breaking the barriers of a male-dominated industry, paving the way for young creatives. Having turned her knack for hip-hop into an incredible publication, Caron has clearly become a powerhouse in the making, in her own right. In this short interview, Caron gives a sneak peek into how she grew the magazine, being a woman in the industry and what the future holds. What inspired you to start The Plug? I’ve always been incredibly passionate about hip hop, urban culture and fashion and becoming an Editor has always been my dream. The Plug Mag was the brainchild of 6th Avenue Group, they approached me regarding becoming the Editor of their online publication before it was founded and I agreed. Have you found that being a woman in the industry has proven to be difficult? If so, what kind of setbacks do you have? Being a black woman in any male-dominated industry definitely comes with immense challenges, but the truth is, the game is hard for everyone. You have to be tough to be in this industry and willing to put up a fight every day. Regardless of your gender, if you don’t know who you are, aren’t clear about your vision and aren’t willing to put in the work, the game will chew you up and spit you out. I’m not fazed by being a woman in this industry because I can hold my own against the best in the game and this is only the start. I want to be the best and I’m going to be the best, no stereotype about by gender will deter that. [bctt tweet=”The reception is inspiring & shows the SA hip hop community is hungry for powerful content” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I know that you also have a knack for fashion, can we see a publication of the sort from you again soon? Anna Wintour and the late Franca Sozzani are my idols. Fashion has always been my first love and a passion I’d love to return to. Establishing my own fashion publication is something I definitely aspire to do one day and the success of The Plug Mag is essential for me to reach that point. South Africa has such incredible designers and fashion talent, which deserves to be celebrated. Speaking of fashion, what are your must-have items this season? Definitely my camo bomber, Army green overall, deep maroon lip colour and a great pair of boots. The publication has grown tremendously this past year – how has that been for you and your team? It’s been a thrilling experience. It started off as a passion project from a group of creatives who truly love hip-hop, fashion and the culture as a whole, so to see how much it has grown and resonated with people is truly incredible. We have so much we still plan to do with The Plug because we truly want to transform the local urban cultural landscape, so the response has been encouraging. On a personal level, it has been a challenging but fulfilling experience. How is the future looking for The Plug? Any chance you will switch to a print publication? We have so many exciting plans for The Plug Mag. We’re immensely ambitious with our plans. Watch this space… [bctt tweet=”Editor, @CaronWilliams_ chats with us about how The Plug is transforming the local urban cultural landscape” via=”no”] As a woman in a male-dominated industry (hip-hop), you have basically become the answer for consumers who want to know more about what’s happening in the industry, how does that feel for you? It’s an interesting position. It’s always a balancing act offering our audience what they want to read and what we feel is an important story that needs to be shared with the culture. The reception to the content we’ve put out has been very inspiring and demonstrated that the SA hip hop community is hungry for powerful and engrossing content. What advice do you have for people who want to start their own thing? Passion is the foundation of any great venture; it’s what drives you when things get challenging. You truly need to have a clear vision of what you’re trying to achieve and how you plan on doing so. You have to understand that great projects and brands take the time to build and that you have to be in it for the long haul. Over and above everything, you really just have to work hard and put in the hours. Outwork everyone, study the game, study your peers and become versed in the industry you’re trying to penetrate. You also have to surround yourself with people who are as passionate and driven as you are, and people who have been in the game longer than you have been so you can learn from them. Be realistic about what you want to achieve; people are often very idealistic about startups. Even if it’s what you’re passionate about, it’s still going to be hard work. Build a network, sell people on your vision and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. [bctt tweet=”Build a network, sell people on your vision and don’t be afraid to make mistakes” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Which songs do you currently have on repeat? I’ve had Mick
Ruth Yimika Awogbade: Be a voice, not an echo
[bctt tweet=”Ruth Yimika Awogbade: @HelloMAGNIFY isn’t your typical fashion, lifestyle or faith publication” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Magnify magazine was described by the Huffington Post as ‘the women’s magazine breaking every stereotype out there, and [in the process] turning the idea that religion is stuffy, unfashionable and sexist on its head’. As a consumer of Magnify’s third and very bold issue I must say I totally agree! The magazine contains incredible material about the challenges that face millennial women today all encapsulated with the mantra: Fashion. Faith. Feminism. The timing couldn’t be more perfect for such a declaration. With the political climate as it is, and women under increased scrutiny, this may be just what we need! A reminder that who we are is enough and that being true to you is totally worth it. I was delighted to have a conversation with Magnify’s Editor, Ruth Yimika Awogbade. Whilst the word feminism often leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth, Ruth is breaking barriers by using it boldly. Tell us about your experience starting your own magazine. How did you decide to make it about the three F’s? I started Magnify as a series of events when I was 19 in 2008, in my first year at Durham. The phrase that in many ways encapsulates the journey so far is, ‘Faith is taking the first step, even when you can’t see the full staircase.’ It started out as one event to give my friends the opportunity to explore faith in an engaging way. It grew to a series of events and digital content, then I realized I wanted women to have something they could take away to digest in their own time. That’s how the magazine was born. For a while, I was thinking of a tag-line to express our core values of empowering and celebrating women. This would be based on a foundation of faith yet presented with beautiful editorials. The three words —fashion, faith, feminism— literally dropped into my mind when I was on the tube for a meeting. It felt perfect, engaging and simply encapsulated what we were about. [bctt tweet=”@MissAwogbade started Magnify to inspire readers wherever they are” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What inspired the third issue’s slogan ‘Be a Voice, not an Echo’? I think often as women, and particularly millennials, our role is often traditionally seen in relation to being the helper behind the scenes. Particularly too with the rise of social media, there’s a trend to be someone who follows the crowd. My hope is that through the magazine, readers would feel inspired that wherever they are. They have been placed in a sphere of influence with purpose. We all have a unique voice, a unique character and passions that can be used to make an impact and a difference. Often the challenge is to find our voice, but I believe with so many communities of women empowering and supporting each other around the world, this is more possible than ever. How do you think women will relate to this in light of everything that has transpired politically and socially this year? It’s interesting; I could have never predicted how relevant the title would be in light of what has happened politically and socially —especially with the result of the recent US election. As a team, we’re always trying to challenge the stereotype that Christianity is sexist and out of date. In many ways, I found the overwhelming support by evangelical Christians of Donald Trump slightly confusing and disheartening; especially as a black Christian woman. However, I was so encouraged to see prominent Christian women leaders calling out the blatant sexism and double standard. It was amazing to see how many women got behind Hillary —not just because she’s a woman but because she was the most qualified for the job. I hope that our generation realises that there is no better time to rise up and be bold and confident in using our voice and platforms. This despite the progress that still needs to be made in the faith and political arenas especially. [bctt tweet=”Ruth Yimika Awogbade: @HelloMAGNIFY is challenging the idea that Christianity is sexist” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The perception is often that print media is dying…why do you think having a magazine is so important? I think traditional magazines that cater to mass audiences are in decline. However, magazines that target demographics with a certain mindset or niche are on the rise. People feel a level of attachment and loyalty as they are value adding. In Magnify, we feature issues that go right to the heart of who we are and that I hope give readers the opportunity to self reflect. Having something that women can digest and explore in their own personal time, away from the busyness of life is so important. [bctt tweet=”Ruth Yimika Awogbade: We all have a unique voice that can be used to make an impact ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What would you want people to take away from reading this issue that makes it different from the rest? Magnify isn’t your typical fashion, lifestyle or faith publication. We aim to empower women across every area of life. That is why we feature articles on faith, identity, relationships, mental health, the arts and entrepreneurship. I hope from reading this, women would feel inspired in their own personal journeys and empowered to know that we each have a purpose on this earth which can be fulfilled. And also know that life isn’t perfect —particularly of those we admire who have achieved success. Everyone faces challenges, but even with them, you can still be a voice and make an impact. What role does feminism play in this issue? And how do you think African women can relate to it? Feminism plays a big role in this issue, particularly looking at it from a variety of angles. In particular, one of my favourite interviews is ‘Faith and Feminism: A man’s perspective.’ For feminism to be embraced, men need to fully understand it too. Particularly in societies that
How to build an online media company on a start-up budget
Before launching Ayiba Magazine, I searched online for existing African-authored content sites targeted at young Africans and was scant to find any doing what I had in mind. I launched Ayiba with the goal of providing a platform that showcased African change makers around the world who were disrupting tired narratives through media, technology, and innovation. I didn’t just want to start a blog, instead I wanted to build a network of writers that covered content from across Africa and the Diaspora in a way that connected our generation. If we look at mass media outlets that cover Africa, we have the BBC, CNN, and Al Jazeera, amongst others, but none of them are African owned. I have always asked myself why there are no prominent African owned media outlets that cover content from across Africa. A long-standing argument in development has been that all the books written on Africa are authored by old white men. Well, we’ve entered a new Digital Age and the same thing remains true about a large percentage of the content found online. Of course that is increasingly changing, but it’s due to sites like Ayiba, channels like Arise TV, and others in the new media ecosystem. I believe Ayiba is important for the media landscape because our readers are our writers. We create content to inspire young Africans that is written by young Africans. What sets us apart is this authenticity and the fact that we constantly strive to cover content from all over Africa – not just the usual suspects of Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa. Over the past three years, there are five key strategies that have allowed our platform steadily scale. All of them relate to content creation because as the say “content is Queen.” Or do they say King? Anyway, from day one, we have focused on generating diverse and quality content because we know that is how we will one day grow to millions of readers. A girl’s gotta dream! Our strategies are: Building a well-managed virtual office: Since our team lives across three continents and four time zones (and is often moving between locations), we have had to create virtual processes for everything we do. We’ve refined and streamlined our digital work environment using a combination of platforms, including Slack, Google, Facebook, and Dropbox. Building a diverse team: When recruiting, we don’t limit our search. All that matters is that the talent is tapped into global media and has a voice. It’s because of the diversity in our team that we manage to cover stories from all over the world and are able to land features with so many diverse subjects. Training new talent: We can’t always expect to find the best ready-made talent. Sometimes we have to nurture the talent we seek. Our editorial team is committed to working with our contributors to produce quality content that meets the standards Ayiba has set for itself and that our readers have come to expect. Creating content partnerships: A major aspect of the Digital Age is the sharing and redistribution of information. Ayiba contributes to this by republishing and cross-publishing content, as well as cultivating distribution channels for our content. We would like to see more collaboration in the African new media ecosystem. Designing an aesthetically pleasing site: Your content can be ace, but if your site looks amateur, readers will be less likely to stick around. WordPress themes are inexpensive and can easily be customized to meet your needs. I highly recommend them. Of the points listed, talent acquisition has certainly been the most challenging hurdle. However, since we recruit talent from both the Diaspora and the continent, this increases our talent pool. In the Diaspora, we reach out to our founding team alumni networks at Mount Holyoke College and Yale University. In Africa, we use Opportunity Desk to post our internship and fellowship programs. The internship program is for all roles outside editorial and runs for three months at a time, while our editorial fellowship is for up to six months. Ayiba emphasizes training homegrown journalistic talent. Our environment is fast-paced, yet focuses on quality of content rather than quantity. Our editors work directly with our interns and fellows to improve their craft, providing a partnership from which both parties benefit. Some fellows choose to stay on after their fellowship, which has been great, but most leave to pursue other great opportunities. However, all benefit from an experience that has improved their writing ability. One tip I can give on recruiting in a start-up is to make sure that whoever you bring into your team buys your weakness and sells you their strength. This means the team needs to be balanced by whoever you decide to bring on board. Each individual should neutralize the weaknesses of the team as a whole with their strengths. That’s the best way of keeping a lean team that delivers. We recently published our first print issue, which was well-received. In fact, it was invited to exhibit at the first African Art Book Fair at the Dak’Art Biennale in Senegal. It was a challenging and time consuming process, but the whole team learned a lot. The best part is that we were able to create and distribute our print issue to five continents with less than $100 spent on the project. We did this by: Recruiting talented design students who were looking to expand their portfolios to include magazine spreads. Using a pay-per-issue print service like Blurb, so we didn’t have to order in volume or handle delivery. Using creative commons like Flickr for stunning high quality non-copyrighted images. If you are unable to recruit designers, I would advise purchasing template bundles from sites like Creative Market or Themeforest and modifying them to suit your aesthetic. Adobe InDesign is quite easy to learn and YouTube is a great resource. In under two months, my team with little experience in print publishing, pulled together a beautifully designed 60-page print issue
Omnia and Salma: We want to connect the Sudans using culture and technology
Sudan and South Sudan have been under fire for decades from the perils of civil war, famine, poverty, corruption, Islamic jihad and other crisis that affect the countries politically, socially and economically as well as culturally. Omnia Shawkat and Salma Amin Saad decided to build a contemporary platform to voice independent opinions of the diverse, intelligent, and peaceful youth that diverge massively from the mainstream that places them in tiny status-quo boxes. Omnia and Salma started the online magazine Andariya for Sudan & South Sudan in both English and Arabic to lifting our spirits, sharing contemporary analysis and opinions & promoting creative arts ideas and events. Since the launch of the magazine they’ve also launched a photography project titled “MyKhartoum” to show the beauty of the capital city with a series focused on Juba coming soon. Omnia and Salma shared with us why online media is so important, why Andariya is different and what they’ve learned about organic growth. Why do you think digital media matters in Sudan and South Sudan? Sudan and South Sudan have a shared cross-border culture that was severed along with the political ties in July 2011. The current generation witnessed a tough time of great polarization and we had no time to heal, reconcile or mend our broken matter when the political secession came upon. This need to open the road of communication is one great reason why digital media matters right now; it transcends boundaries. The publishing industry is also lagging behind due to many factors (economic, censorship, access, language etc.) and a way to overcome some of these challenges and reach and engage a wider audience that is already online, beyond even the Sudans (there is a massive diaspora population from both countries) is through the use of digital media of various types. What role would you like Andariya to play in the development of these two countries? Our mandate is purely cultural, so if we are to perfect our mandate, the cultural footprint of the Sudans on the internet will be enhanced along with more offline engagement due to the conversations that spring up online. One underlying factor is to really connect both countries (both local and diaspora communities) over intersecting cultural values, opinions & aspirations. Both Sudans are in similar development stages, and cultural development is key in advancing all the other pillars of development. What makes Andariya different from other youth-focused media platforms? There are the basic building blocks of being a bi-lingual digital cultural platform for South Sudan and Sudan. We target a larger age group- for once, the “youth” or younger generation is online and discussing matters of importance to them in a common platform that welcomes all views. More importantly, we are discussing issues that older generations have exclusively hashed out over the last few decades (i.e. identity issues, culture and acculturation, etc.) and adding our perspectives to the conversation. Another differentiating factor is our belief in using different mediums to reach diverse audiences. We’re across social media platforms but slowly growing into creating online-offline campaigns to engage more people. Can you share your favourite story from the platform and why? The way our community was formed is both interesting and inspiring; we practically found each other as if we were long lost souls. We have an incredibly harmonious relationship with more than 50 community members across the world, and we treasure this the most. For your business to get to the next level, would you prefer funding or a high-value mentor? We’d prefer to have a mentor to help us reach that next level. We’re a very hands-on platform that organically adapts to challenges and opportunities and finding a mentor who can understand the climate we operate in and growth we’re aspiring to would be invaluable. So far, we’ve taught ourselves what we discovered was needed, but a community of more than 50 people also means everyone brings wisdom and creativity to the table, so we’d like to think we’re currently being internally mentored. What can we expect to see from Andariya over the next 6 months? We’re launching a new website so we expect editorial growth. Our business model has shifted massively in the last four or five months so we’re experimenting with more offline engagement. A few online projects are also in the works. We are actively pursuing expanding our network and partnerships base both inside the Sudans and outside. What is the most important thing you’ve learned on your journey towards building Andariya? Be flexible. Organic evolution can be disruptive but can also be harmonious. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.