Melanin Is Magic Preview

DEVOE

SUMMER 2015

MelaninISMAGIC EXPLORING BLACK LOVE IN FILM 2

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Table of CONTENTs

GO BEYOND 55. WE THE SCRIPT WTIH ACTOR, WILL CATLETT

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NUMA PERRIER TALKS BLACK&SEXYTV

51. WISE WORDS

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FROM FROM STREETWEAR NATURAL HAIR:IS DESIGNER, LATEEF IT DIVIDING OR UNITING US? EDISI #Fashion - OCT / 2015

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40. SOUNDTRACKS:

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ON THE COVER: MELANIN IS MAGIC SPREAD

THE PULSE OF BLACK FILMS

63.CELEBRITY STYLIST,

SHANNON MARIE REVEALS HER FASHION FAVES

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Special Thanks To: D’maia DeVoe (photgrapher) Prohaize Naakie Nartey Nicholas Stewart Jennah Dockery(model) Morgan Lazada(model) Rashawn Cash TJ Ticknor Patrick Udo Ubaba-Emere (writer) Juston Hansford (writer) Pier and Devan DeVoe Numa Perrier Will Catlett Lateef Shannon Marie Alden Holt Hairitage Hydration Beautiful YouATL Kierstyn Moses

A LETTER FROM THE

G K rowing up, I was blessed enough to have parents that were adamant about making sure I not only had confidence, but knowledge and appreciation of my culture. Ever so often they would come to my class and read The Encyclopedia of African-American Heritage to my 4th grade class. At the time, I attended a predominantly white school and my parents realized that the history we were taught in text-books left a very important part out . Our history books failed to mention that America’s largest cities and economy was built by African-American slaves. History books failed to mention the literary and artistic contributions we made during the Harlem Renaissance and they

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failed to mention that the popular music of today derived from the sounds of African-Americans. nowing this; absolutely no one could tell me that my black wasn’t powerful, absolutely no one could make feel anything other than proud of my culture. My mom would buy me books with characters that looked like me and because of my mother I fell in love with authors that told our stories like Veronica Chambers, Bebe Moore Campbell and Sista Souljah. Because of my early intriduction to black literature no one could tell me that black wasn’t creative. Essence magazine has always been a staple in our home; black women ranging from light beige to the deepest hue of ebony would be idolized on these covers

and because of this no one could tell me that my black was not beautiful and that the melanin that created it was anything less than magic. want my magazine to do for other young black women, what the forementioned publications did for me.

This year has taken a toll on our community. The lives of our sons, fathers and daughters are carelessly being taken by cowardly police officers who abuse their power to act on racism. Unfortunately this has led many brown people to question whether or not their lives are of any value. To cope we shout out “Black lives matter,” just so people who have never endured racism, discrimination or UNARMED killings

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can rebuttle with, “All lives matter.” Not understanding that we are well aware that all lives matter, but those that are killing us unjustly do not; which is why we must continue to say it.

Hence the reason I am making a point to create a publication that lends an ear to my communities voices. Of all the issues I’ve done, this one is by far the most important to me. I recently had a talk with God because I never want to be selfish with my gift. I know I can offer way more to the world than fashionable photos and shallow content; therefore I am using my gift to do what Essence magazine, Bebe Moore Campbel, Veronica Chambers and more have done for me and that is uplift, celebrate and tell the stories of amazng black people. After noticing that my favorite high-fashion magazines rarely represented me or touched on topics that directly effect me as a black woman, I decided to create the content I want to see. I hope you enjoy this issue, everyone involved left a lasting impact on me and I am sure they will do the same for you. Enjoy!

-XoXo Mani

Because Aiya Jones, Rekia Boyd, Yvette Smith They were all black like me I guess this diminished their value So authorities chose their fate And now we’re saying R.I.P. Dear God, please, I don’t want to D.I.E Where on Earth can I, Can we, Your children, find peace?

How ca n we show them We were all made in your image?

The killings, the violence….

Lord, how can we end this?

Lord, your children are growing impatient We’ve received so much hatred And we don’t know how to take it, They broke us with violence, And now we’re left to reciprocate it

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ear God, I don’t want to die to find peace.

When the blood, fell on the leaves Could they not see That the hue was the same, As the blood that ran through their own veins.

Lord I cannot die to find peace I want to live fear free, See when my brother, my father, my friends Leave home and into man made streets I want to know that they, will come back home to me When I am in danger, where can I go?

For on Earth there is no safe haven that I know 6

Unfortunately this ebony coat are both a blessing and a curse Because if I take my danger to authorities, I may end up in a hurse

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Lord, we are tired We want to feel relief And we just want to be assured That we, won’t have to die Just to find peace.

-D’mani DeVoe

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e are well aware that all lives matter, but those that are killing us unjustly do not; which is why we must continue to say it.”

MELANINISMAGIC! T

his is melanin and love and you can’t fake this.

Mixing shades of ancestry and bloodlines and pigments that stick to the core.

Somewhere someone peeked in a black woman’s ear, straight through to her mind, Saw a village dancing in her head!

Fires lit, drummers surrounding, same STEPS synchronized because they were born like this Nothing but magic how all the time these drums sounded off in her head so of course her walk holds steady as a drum Of course her hips swing with the beat as she steps with the villagers.

Her life becomes syncopated with rhythm Dancing in all her movements Never missing a beat -Alexandria Rae Mason

Photographer: D’maia DeVoe Models (Left to Right): Jennah Dockery, Morgan Lozada Creative Director: D’mani DeVoe Makeup: Edjuan Crosby

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BLACK & SEXY DIALOGUE WITH

NUMA PERRIER A lot of my inspiration comes from real relationships and people and their quirks and outrageousness and sexiness. Those things really inspire me...

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To the right is a photo of Black&Sexy TV’s four founders.

(Left to Right) Jeanine Daniels; Brian Hardin; Dennis Dortch; Numa Perrier

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he past year has been an astounding one for African-American television. Every Wednesday night families across the world gathered to watch Cookie fight to get a piece of her empire back, Thursdays we’d pick our jaws up after experiencing jarring plot-twists in How To Get Away With Murder and Tuesday nights our favorite news anchor, Mary Jane revealed her most vulnerable and intimate moments to us. While all of these shows portray black women in an empowering light, there is one huge demographic whose story isn’t being told and that story is YOURS.

While the ex-wife of a major record executive or a lawyer/murderer may be great for entertainment purposes, they aren’t relatable characters, they aren’t us, the viewers. Where is the story of the “down-to-earth chick” that kicks it with dudes and is always down for a water-gun fight? Where is the story of a middle class boutique owner who falls into a “situationship” with her male roommate? Or even the story of two best friends that fall for the same guy? Whether you’ve experienced these instances yourself, or you know someone who has;

you can identify with these stories.

While the plight we’ve made on television is something to be proud of, we still deserve stories that celebrate us in our most simplest, yet intriguing forms.

One day I grew bored of the stories mainstream TV producers and writers whipped up, simply to boost ratings. While I was entertained Monday through Thursday, I felt no connection to the characters I watched on a weekly basis. This was due to rushed story lines curated for shock value and little character development.

I then went to Google and searched “black web series,” a number of blogs and commentary led me to a little show titled, RoomieLoverFriends. As I watched I not only grew appreciation for the acting, timely comedy and well-written

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script, but I was in awe of the cinematography. I could tell this wasn’t your, “Mom let me borrow your camera and call some friends to act” production; this was art. I then grew curious as to who was the mastermind behind such meticulously crafted work and discovered Black&Sexy Tv. This independent network is the home of some of the most popular black web series; such as Hello Cupid, RoomieLoverFriends, That Guy and more.

As someone that creates independent media, I admired the empire that founder, Numa Perrier, created with her business partners. Black&Sexy Tv has managed to do something that networks haven’t been able to successfully accomplish in decades and that’s telling the story of the average black

Want to see the movie that started what we know as Black&Sexy Tv? Well, it’s just a click away. A Good Day To Be Black&Sexy is available on NetFlix.

man/woman. They managed to do this all while making their shows intriguing enough to want more!

After fawning over her work, I finally got the guts to contact Ms. Perrier for an interview. I was not only privileged enough to delve into her creative mind, but I became acquainted with a woman who knows exactly what she wants out of life and will stop at nothing to get it; a woman who built a platform with limited resources and has used her platform to showcase others talents, a woman who is selfless. Enjoy the black and sexy conversation we have with Ms.Numa and get acquainted with the mastermind behind these cinematic reflections of our simplest selves.

WILL

CATLETT

BEYOND SCRIPT

THE By:D’mani DeVoe

You may know him as Mike, the

best-friend who just “can’t get it right” from Black&Sexy Tv’s, That Guy; you may even know him as heart-throb, Charlie on First, by Color Creative, but we got to know Will.

The actor/producer/photographer, was born in Alexandria, Virginia and moved to California in 2002 to pursue basketball, but it was fate that led him to our TV and computer screens., bringing a certain depth to each character that he played.

The depth and vehemence that he brings to his characters is what makes them memorable and it makes viewers want to know more;

not only about the character, but the artist that brings these characters to fruition.

Prior to our interview, I made sure I came up with questions that went beyond the surface and his responses were anything but shallow.

Expecting to leave the interview with a better perception of his views on black love’s portrayal in media and the projects he’s worked on, I was pleasantly surprised when I left the interview with so much more.

By the end of our conversation I’d become acquainted with a young man who is driven by faith. I had a better understanding of the power of art and I was inspired to create,

support and endorse work that shows African-Americans in an empowering light. “How did all of these realizations come from one 3o-minute interview,” You ask?

Well find out for yourself and get to know the genial spirit that I got to know in this QnA. Get to know Will, beyond the script. .

“The depth and vehemence that he brings to his characters is what makes them memorable...”

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Q

. If you didn’t embark on a career in film, what other path do you think you would take?

A. I’m still finding that. Acting, or film and television aren’t the only mediums that I do. The way I look at that is, there is no limit. So whichever area of artistic ability that I want to express, I can do. It’s kind of like just going with the flow-If it’s acting, if it’s photography, if it’s missionary work-I find fulfillment in all of it.

Q. So would you say you’re a creative thinker? Anything within the creative realm you’re willing to explore it basically.

A. Yeah, especially when it comes to using your creativity to change things. If you look at group theatre back in the day, they would do plays to tell you what was happening in society. Whatever ideas they wanted to project to society would be in the play and the next thing you know those ideas would be in the government. So that’s the power of art.

Q. With that being said, do you think there’s a film or project you’ve worked on that may have impacted you or changed your perspective, or the way you think about things?

A. Not as of yet. Usually it’s me bringing my ideas to the role. I am working on a project that I wrote called “Griffin”, which will change the perspective of how people see their stepfather or the dynamics of not having a father in the home; but me personally working on a project that has impacted me, not any other project that I picked up that somebody else has written. I haven’t been impacted yet.

I know you’re like, “Whoa, I didn’t think it would get this real,” ( We both laughed, but I appreciated the fact that his answers weren’t surface level).

Q.

When you’re presented with a script or a project, what is it that makes you say, “Oh I have to do this?”

A. It has to be something that moves me. I’m a feeler, I’ll walk into places and say, “This not it.” Like when we were doing a film I wrote called Stages (a short film) and we were looking for a venue to screen the film and one of the producers would walk in with me and I would be like “This not it” and she didn’t understand why. We went to about five or six different places and I would say, “This is not it. I can’t feel the presence of God, so therefore it’s not it” and then we would walk into another place and I would say, “Ok, this is it.” So that’s one indicator when it comes to me selecting a role and sometimes it’s the character-What is the character going through? Or, what is something interesting that I haven’t done?Or if I want to quit.

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