Established in 2015 by a young student tired of prejudice in the university, the story of gal-dem it is that of a magazine that has become a real publishing case in a very short time, with thousands of printed copies sold, integrated by a website and social channels that surpass one hundred thousand followers and, among its pages, interviews with influential people of the caliber of Ophra.
Perfect example of how it is possible to combine an original and powerful idea with the beauty of paper, we tried to find out what the success of this award-winning magazine with crystal clear ideas, created by and for non-binary people and women of color, depends on.

Liv Little, founder of the magazine, claims she created it out of necessity: "I needed a space where I could connect with like-minded people. I've always had great white friends, but I really needed to connect with someone else's. level. I wanted to create the kind of channel I wanted to exist. " Little, who was only 24 when she founded the magazine, despite growing up in a "white" environment, never faced racism until she went to Bristol to study political science. 
It is in Bristol that Liv meets Leyla Reynolds, gal-dem's future art director who helped build the magazine's reputation for graphics and stunning illustrations. Leyla is also partially frustrated by her university experience and the lack of interest shown by her teachers in the subject chosen as her thesis: the political contribution of British black art in the 1980s. 
Often, however, it is precisely from frustration that great projects and opportunities arise and the story of gal-dem, if you think about it, reminds us a little of that of the protagonist of the Netflix series "Dear White People" (I recommend you watch it!).

Il team di gal-dem

The problems raised by Liv and Leyla on the lack of attention towards minorities within the Campus, begin to circulate among university colleagues. Thus was born the gal-dem.com site, an embryonic phase of the current editorial project around which a real community of non-binary people and women of color has developed. 

It took three years for this group of young women to shake up the mainstream media, becoming a full-fledged editorial team comprising more than twelve regular editors and numerous contributors. 
The goal is to talk about politics, minority and inequality, showing that even within these categories there are different voices and perspectives.

What makes this magazine truly unique (and great!) Is the honesty and authentic tone with which it addresses its readers. Essays, opinions, news, art, music, politics and lifestyle content are all geared to counterbalance a model of information that leaves nothing but crumbs for minorities. Behind the editorial and creative work of the editorial staff, there is the will to tackle inequalities and fake news. 

The latest issue of the magazine, available on Frab's HERE, is a testimony (pre covid19) of the constant balance of modern life between always running and carving out one's time, it is a hymn to the endless creativity of non-binary women and people of color who continue to break down media barriers with their ideas and creativity.

May 28, 2020 — Clean Canvas Collaborator

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