A girly mag they can be proud of her dress

Tag : Design For Women


Growing up in South Miami-Dade, Khristal Gooding loved leafingthrough Seventeen to catch up on fashion and make-up. Yet, nomatter how wonderful the articles or photographs, she did not seeherself represented in the pages of the glossy magazine. It wasworse in other media, where African-American women come off asvideo vixens and sex objects.

''I knew those negative images were not an accurate reflection ofwho we really are,'' says Gooding. ``I wanted to give girlspositive images to look up to.''

So Gooding, a social studies teacher at Robert Morgan EducationalCenter, decided to launch a magazine that would provide analternative -- and accurate -- representation of the women who wereher students, her friends, her neighbors. The result: Shenique, aglossy publication for and by black teenage girls.

With a grant from the Women's Fund, Gooding recruited friends andstudents from different schools to brainstorm story ideas and pagelayouts. It was no easy task. Most of the girls had no journalismexperience. Many had jobs and other activities after school, andthe only place they could meet was at a computer lab at Goulds'Church of Christ.

But Gooding was determined to overcome such obstacles. At 28, shecan be easily mistaken for one of her young wards, but she has adegree in magazine production from Florida A&M, experience withwebsites and, perhaps more important, a vision. She also hasdevoted friends who share her commitment.

''At first the girls we got together were kind of standoffish,''recalls Cordelia Currie, a fellow teacher who has helped Goodingsince the beginning. ``But then they realized what we were doingand wanted to be part of it. When they saw the magazine comingtogether, they really bought into it.''

Currie's daughter, Bianca, one of the early Shenique journalists,said she loved the idea from the start. ``Finally! It's possible tohave positive images of African-American women. Usually we're notseen as intellecutals or interested in education. Well, I don'twant people to look at me like some sex toy.''

SHE IS UNIQUE

First, Gooding and Currie had to come up with a name. The originalchoice, She is Unique, was a perfect summary of the magazine'smission statement, but it proved too cumbersome to put on a cover.So it was shortened. The website remains www.sheisunique.com .

Then the 20 girls selected began meeting once a month. Goodingtaught them about writing, researching, interviewing. Thus armed,they were sent off on their assignments.

The first issue, published last fall and distributed for free tomiddle and high schools around the county, offers a variety ofuplifting success stories and straight-talk advice. There is, forexample, a Q&A with a former Miss Northwestern who talks at lengthabout her educational goals. There is also a quiz to measurewhether a reader has an ``attitude problem.''

In the editor's letter, Gooding describes the purpose of themagazine: ``to celebrate the inner and outer beauties of allshades, sizes and shapes of young African-American women.''

Adrianne Jackson, an instructor at Miami International Universityof Art and Design, says Shenique meets its mission. Her youngersister is one of the writers and she has served as a mentor.

''There wasn't a lot of information out there for nice, brightgirls'' until Shenique came along, she says. 'But Shenique tellsthem, `Don't allow what everyone else thinks to define you. Insteadof wanting to be in a rap video or wanting to marry a footballplayer, you can aspire to being a doctor or a lawyer or a teacher.'''

The second issue, which came out this month, deals withrelationship issues -- and not just with the opposite sex. ''Weasked girls what they wanted to read about and this was definitelyit,'' Gooding says.

For the young students, the experience of writing, editing andproducing a magazine has been life-changing. Bianca Currie, whograduated from Robert Morgan earlier this month, plans to pursue abroadcast journalism degree at Hampton University in Virginia.

''I've learned that you have to ask for what you want and that youhave to take your dreams to the next level,'' she says. ``I'm notafraid to go out there now because I've got experience.''

Britany Calloway, also a 2008 graduate of Robert Morgan, worked onthe graphic design for the magazine and the website. She hopesShenique continues publishing for years ``because it has taught methat I'm awesome. The media out there portrays us in a degradingway and that's not reality.''

MENTORING PROGRAM

Shenique is actually an outgrowth of a mentoring program for middleand high school girls called DIVAS Inc., or Determined IndividualsVying for Awareness and Success. Started in 2003 by Gooding aftershe returned from college, DIVAS focused on giving guidance andoffering after-school activities. In 2006, Gooding decided to focusthe program more narrowly and fell back on her first love,journalism.

She hopes to eventually make Shenique a monthly publication, withadvertising and staff drawn from area high schools. ''It's becomemore and more of a crucial issue with me because as a teacher Iwork with girls all day and I see how much they need this,'' sheadds. ``At this age, they don't like talking to parents even iftheir parents are there, but they need an adult figure in theirlives no matter what. They need guidance.''