Empowerment Issue January/February '17 by FAME Enterprises

MADE XXXX

KEKE PALMER CHATS ABOUT HER NEW INSPIRATIONAL GUIDE & UPCOMING PROJECTS IN 2017

TOP 10 MILLENIALS WRITERS OF COLOR

TODAY'S INFLUENTIAL CONTENT CREATORS

17 WAYS TO DESIGN A LIFE YOU LOVE

TIPS TO LIVE A FULFILLING LIFESTYLE

EMPOWERMENT ISSUE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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Power up your position for success in the new year

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EXCEL AT ACCELERATING. THE BMW 3 SERIES.

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PUBLISHERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

LETTER

The power that it takes to charge your year is massive, particularly if you have big goals. Big goals typically take a lot of energy - sleepless nights, countless meetings, constant planning. Finding the source (or various sources) of energy to fuel your passion is the key to creating a year of monumental success and progress. Some of your energy may stem from the support of your family and friends; some of it may derive from the backing of your network; most of it will come from you. Fueling your mind with affirmative thinking, organizing your life with specific plans, and seeking to discover new opportunities for growth all contribute to the power you can plug into your own life. As Oprah once said, "Not only are you responsible for your life but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment." If you ever feel your internal battery is too low to accelerate your goals, think about yourself as an engine of ideas. Sometimes it starts with just a spark of a new way of thinking or a high-voltage conversation that ignites a new vision for your life. The first step to finding your power is knowing that it lies within you. The second step is taking what you know that you've got and taking full advantage of the opportunities around you. One year consists of 365 days, and 365 days contains at least 365 opportunities waiting on you. However you find your power, it's imperative not to allow it to get low. Each year, millions of Americans commit to their New Year resolutions and by mid-January they break them. It's not because they can't commit to their resolution, it's because they don't have the internal motivation to stay the course. Relying on outside sources to empower you is helpful but will not keep you charged up. You have to believe in yourself that anything is possible. You have to know for yourself that everything you need is right where you are. And you have to trust that you are your power and that is enough. I'm looking forward to your growth this year and the many opportunities coming your way.

Cheers,

Kris

One year consists of 365 days, and 365 days contains at least 365 opportunities waiting on you. Kris D. Williams

32.

16. 28.

26.

36. THE MADE TEAM

KRIS D. WILLIAMS PUBLISHER @KrisD Williams

DERRICK L. CHRISTIAN II EDTOR-INCHIEF @DChristianii

CHELSEY SINCERRAY SR. MEDIA COORDINATOR @215imgs

TAHITI SPEARS ART DIRECTOR @tahitian_treat

OMAR AVILA GRAPHIC DESIGNER

CONTENTS

E M P OW E R M E N T I S S U E m a d e - m a g a z i n e .c o m

48.

MADE CONNECTIONS Made to cultivate relationships that inspire us to build a better world.

MADE FEATURES Made to motivate you by the success stories of everyday people, entrepreneurs and entertainers.

MADE INC.

08.

Made to turn your business mind into a business gold mine.

MADE NOW Made to inform you on current news, controversy and conversations in today’s culture.

MADE MUSIC Made to showcase a millennial point of view on the hottest musical talent.

MADE LIFE Made to style the way you live to match up to greatness.

DON’T BE SHY! JASMINE BROWLEY CONTRIBUTOR @jasminebrowley

INDIA MCMILLER CONTRIBUTOR @imcmiller5

Share your story with us that may help millennials of color navigate their professional + personal lives. Click here to contribute your story.

MADE XXXX

20 Affirmations

TO LIVE BY

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PAY IT

CLICK TO SEE MORE OF THE EVENT

MIAMI

Miami’s rising entrepreneurs gathered at STK Miami at an invite-only event presented by BMW and co-hosted by MADE Magazine.

4 WA R D The Vehicle to Drive Women Forward

The key to boldly going into the new year is that you don’t just start your engines on day one of a new 365-day cycle. You start it by closing out the previous year at full speed. The final stop on the Women Who Pay It 4ward honors brunch from BMW in Miami capped off a year full of influential meetups that uncorked inspiration by reminding everyone how they are in the driver’s seat of their destiny. As you’re getting revved up for what’s to come in 2017, take a look in our rearview mirror to see who BMW celebrated in the latest destination on their empowerment tour across America. On a sunny Miami Sunday, a room full of inviteonly guests arrived at STK Miami to celebrate four women who are being lights in their communities through professional and philanthropic impacts in the Greater Miami area. The brunch series has honored 16 women across the country and raised nearly $10,000 in charitable donations to date. “There is no better time to close this series’ 2016 season than the holidays. We’re excited to honor more women of influence and leave a philanthropic impact on the city of Miami,” said Kevin Williams, Head of Multicultural Marketing at

BMW Group. “The launch of “Pay It 4ward” was simply amazing this year and we look forward to even bigger things for the series in 2017!” Vanessa James, a native South Floridian with a multi-platform career in music, radio, TV, voiceover and media, served as the host for the afternoon. The women celebrated are: Lucy Morillo - Morillo has global experience in non-profit organizations and fundraising. She previously served as president and CEO of the Miami Children’s Health Foundation, as well as the fundraising arm for Miami Children’s Health System and its flagship hospital, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. She was also executive director of Estate and Gift Planning for the University of Miami, and an adjunct professor in the University of Miami Political Science Department. Morillo has been recognized by People En Español, Ocean Drive magazine and the Commonwealth Institute of South Florida. With a bachelor’s in Administration of Justice and Business Law from Pennsylvania State University, a master’s in Public Administration from Penn State, and a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Morillo is an experienced civil litigation and estates and trusts

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attorney and longtime member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Asha Loring - Founder and executive director of the non-profit organization dedicated to growing vegetable gardens in underserved communities, Health in the Hood, Loring helps make urban gardens into living classrooms where children and families can enjoy free, healthy food and workshops. She began Health in the Hood while following in her father’s community gardening footsteps and as an answer to need for fresh vegetables in food deserts. After graduating from Florida International University, Loring began her career as director of Public Allies Miami for Americorps, working to place young, serviceminded individuals in community organizations. She also served as the director of Strategic Partnerships at Women of Tomorrow, a non-profit organization that matches at-risk high school girls with professional women for long-term mentorships. Through her work, Loring hopes to put children on the path to healthy futures by preventing disease and give parents information that helps them create better environments. Kristy Nunez - After attending the University of Miami, earning a bachelor’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing, Nunez went on to earn a law degree from St. Thomas University School of Law. In 2005, she joined the Office of the State Attorney in Miami-Dade County, Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida. In 2016, Nunez was appointed as Division Chief for the Human Trafficking Unit at the State Attorney’s Office, and has also served as Felony Division Chief. In 2009, she co-founded UrbanPromise Miami, a nonprofit organization committed to serving at-risk youth in under-resourced communities within MiamiDade County. UrbanPromise Miami serves 100 youth and teens on a daily basis in the East Little Havana community. Nunez is a board member of the Miami-Dade League of Prosecutors and member of the Dade-County and Cuban American

bar associations. She has been honored by the Women’s Committee of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami, The Women's Fund and The Melissa Institute. Suzanna Valdez - Currently vice president of Advancement for the Adrienne Arsht Center of the Performing Arts, Valdez previously served as chief of staff to City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz. She also was Miami Program Director for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Prior to Miami, Valdez worked in Washington, D.C. in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate as special assistant to Al Gore. President Clinton appointed her to the White House Office of Public Liaison as special assistant to the President and went on to appoint her Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Labor. Valdez has also lived in New York, where she was associate director of the Eugene M. Lang Center for Entrepreneurship at Columbia Business School. Upon attaining an MPA from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia, she served as executive director of the Task Force on Television Measurement for Nielsen Media Research. She sits on the First Focus board, TEDxMiami board, Miami Foundation Fellows Selection Committee and Hispanic Leadership Advisory Committee for Nielsen Media Research. Prior to brunch, guests had the opportunity to participate in BMW’s “Drive for a Cause” initiative. For every guest that test drives a car, BMW donates to women-focused programs at Miami Rescue Mission, a nonprofit organization serving the local homeless community. In the spirit of the holiday season, guests also participated in BMW’s “Toy and Food Drive” by bringing packaged toys and games and dry goods to donate to Miami Rescue Mission. Even with all the “Pay It 4ward” success in 2016, the journey to celebrate and inspire the leaders of today and tomorrow is only getting started.

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MADE MADE FEATURE XXXX

Taking A

Chance

To Empower Others

MADE By Derrick Christian Lorem Ipsum

hen it comes to empowering people, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a rapper out now who has countless groups they are positively impacting, directly and indirectly. Independent artists. Voters. Young Creatives. Entrepreneurs. Non-Profit Leaders. The homeless. And the list goes on. This rapper goes by the name of Chance The Rapper.

At the intersection of entertainment and education is where the most influential leaders can make a huge impact. With the obsession of celebrity culture here in the states and the undeniable impact that music has on people, great visibility and power are given to those who find success in this space. Chance is a millennial leader who has not only reached this level of notoriety, but he has harnessed the energy of it to go beyond building his career and get into building up the communities around him. He got young people to #ParadeToThePolls by physically leading thousands of voters in a march to voting booths after a Get Out The Vote concert in Chicago, launched his non-profit organization SocialWorks while holding the first Magnificent Coloring Day festival (also in his hometown of Chicago) and most notably got nominated for a total of seven Grammy awards for his Coloring Book album that was free, critically acclaimed and independently released. This is in addition to doing things like co-creating the Warmest Winter initiative in December 2015 where he helped raise over $100,000 to get 1,000 high tech coats which doubled as a self-heating sleeping bag to aid homeless people through the coldest months of the year. Chance The Rapper is the captain of navigating his success in the entertainment world to result in the change that he wants to see. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coloring outside the lines of traditional artists and creating a bigger picture of action in his activism that is art to everyone watching (and listening to) him do it. made-magazine.com | 10

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HOW TO FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR A

DISAPPOINTING BUSINESS YEAR So, that 11-month-old list of business goals have more unchecked items instead of the other way around. You’re facing a new year with a fresh set of aspirations while the others are still waiting to come to fruition. Now what? Avoid the self-loathing and dust yourself off. Here are a few ways to jumpstart the healing process after getting wounded by business failures this year. Get up. Imagine going from a personal net worth of $3 billion to $0 because of poor planning. Bill Bartmann spent years building debt collection company, Credit Financial Services, from the ground up for years only to have it stripped away by the U.S. government after they determined one of his business partners was involved in illegal activity. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to wallow in self-

pity, right? Nah. “We all stumble and fall,” Bartmann said in an interview. “Maybe I've done it more cataclysmically than most. But you can learn so much if you open your eyes rather than blame everyone else and feel pity for yourself. You need to dust yourself off, turn around backwards, and learn what you

could have done differently. When you can do that, big things can result.” Once he was cleared of charges from the Feds, he took the devastating experience, called in some favors, wrote a book and started touring to share his comeback story. This is an extreme example, but at its core, the principle is applicable to anyone’s situation: Spend more time strategizing your future win than lamenting in your current failure. Prep mentally for failure before it even happens. The best way to build a successful business from the bottom up is to fail fast. I know what you’re thinking. “This sounds a lot like self-fulfilling prophecy; If I think that my business will fail in advance, I can will it to happen.” There’s a big difference between thinking negatively and thinking realistically. By looking at your business through a truthful lens, it allows for the necessary contingency plans to be put in place for use when you need it most. Don’t internalize the failure. As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to blame yourself for your business’s stagnation or regression. It’s like a mother blaming herself for her child acting out in class. Your business is your baby and if it doesn’t behave in the manner you raised it to, you can’t help but take full responsibility. But here’s the thing, you shouldn’t. It’s life and even more importantly, it’s just business. It has its ebbs and flows. Don’t self-criticize or regret taking the plunge into entrepreneurship. Take

this time to critique the current circumstances and re-structure. Own your mistakes. Although you shouldn’t take your business woes as a personal affront to your character, you do need to take responsibility for your missteps. Awareness and self-assessment are the keys to moving forward in the right direction after failing. Have no idea where to start? The Entrepreneur Equation is a New York Times bestselling book that provides “a bevy of exercises and assessments to help you assess your personality vis-à-vis entrepreneurship, as well as your mindset, timing and the particular opportunity,” says author Carol Roth. She has also put together an interactive online quiz to see how your personality could lead to certain wins or failures in your business. Start again. After all is said and done, keep in mind that success is on the other side of any failure. Take the things you learned, devise a plan and operate from a place of awareness. You’ve got this. Show 2017 who’s boss!

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WAYS TO DESIGN

A LIFE THAT YOU LOVE MADE By Kris D. Williams

Just like everyone else in the world, MADE sat down for our end of the year recap to chat about the rollercoaster that was 2016. According to the internet, it looks like 2016 was miserable for many. Although we can’t predict what the year may bring, we can actively make personal strides to becoming better people and ultimately reach our annual goals while adding some light to the world around us. Here at MADE, we desire to live a year of goal-setting, wealth-building, dream-catching, soul-loving and healthyliving. We created 17 tips that we thought we’d share as we all design a better year for ourselves in 2017.

0.1

Form a formal daily meditation and prayer regimen. Find time to quiet your mind before your day begins to gain the clarity needed to make sound decisions. Throwing up a prayer here and there helps, but there is nothing better than intentionally planning to forge a connection with yourself and a higher power on a consistent basis. It’s imperative to align your vision / goals from a spiritual perspective to reach your goals. Start with five minutes each morning. Put a reminder on your mirror or phone alarm to make sure you make this a habit.

0.2

Create a 2016 recap. It may be hard to take a look back especially on an “off year”, but a true assessment is required to improve upon the last year. In your mini annual review, write down at least five wins and five improvement areas from last year. Consider every aspect of your life, personal and professional, tangible and intangible. Once you’ve taken a snapshot of the ups and downs of 2016, generate five key lessons you learned from your wins and your losses. With this in mind, you can craft a meaningful vision statement that accounts for improvement.

0.4 Craft a 2017 personal vision statement. Instead of creating a New Year resolution which may be a short-lived, try crafting an overarching vision for the year. It defines what success and excellence look like to you. It expresses your vision for where you want to be in the future and it reflects your values, goals and purpose and how you want to operate. Revisit your vision statement several times throughout the year to stay on track.

0.3

Assign annual S.M.A.R.T

goals to every aspect of 0.5 your life.

Categorize the important areas in your life such as spiritual connection, relationships, career and success, health and quality of life, finances, personal growth, fun and enjoyment. To maximize your fulfillment in each area, assign tangible goals to them. More specifically, we are fond of assigning S.M.A.R.T. goals which are:

Visualize your best life for 2017. Start with the question:“What do I want to achieve personally and professionally?” It sounds pretty simple but sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint an answer. Contemplate all the important areas, relationships, career and success, health and quality of life, spiritual connection and personal growth, and even fun and enjoyment. How does your life where each area is fulfilled? Collect photos that represent these images and put them in your life. Computer backgrounds, phone screensavers and more are great reminders for you to be the greatest.

0.6

S - Specific M - Measurable A - Actionable R - Realistic T - Timely

Plan in 3 month milestones. Now it’s time to implement your goals in bite-sized milestones.To avoid feeling overwhelmed, tackle your goals in shorter increments that are manageable.Try to plan 6 months ahead in 3 month milestones. In January, start planning for July-September (Q3 ‘17). If you are late, don’t worry there’s still time to catch up. Write down the tasks (big and small) required to achieve them and break down the task by week. Put these tasks into your weekly planner and check them off as you go.

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Cultivate existing relationships daily. Make it a point to disconnect from work and reconnect to the real world. Authentic human interaction can change your attitude (for the good or the bad) and may even give you a boost energy to keep going. Dedicating time to tap into connections with friends and associates will be beneficial to your personal growth and development.

0.7

In terms of professional networking, many times opportunities for business development are all around you and may be lying in your immediate circle. Set time aside each day to connect to individuals in your network to exchange ideas, create collaborations and discover ways to support business associates in their endeavors.

0.9

0.8

Create an environment that fosters success. Your environment is an integral part of being productive. Organize your study or workspace in a way that is conducive for creativity and idea generation.

Practice a self improvement activity every day. There are several activities that can improve your personal skillset each day. Spend even just 20 minutes writing out your goals and affirmations. Speak in front of the mirror for 10 minutes per day to practice vocalizing your thoughts on various subject manners. Stay informed by reading top headlines from the news each morning. Read at least one book (or audiobook) per month in subjects you are interested in.

10.0 Join a collective of like-minded individuals. To accomplish many of your milestones, resources, guidance and additional support will be necessary. Exchange ideas with a mastermind group of leaders with similar goals. Conferences, summits and expos are excellent ways to meet professionals on the spot. Industry organizations and membership clubs are other forums to connect to individuals with similar interests and goals.

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11.0

Prime yourself for creativity. Spending time writing every day helps you become a better communicator, improves your ability to recall important information, and it also enhances your creativity. Free write in a journal and benefit from a greater self-understanding.

Plan dual-purpose trips. Plans to go global? If you are looking to travel abroad while being productive, design a trip that incorporates business and pleasure. Select destinations that can help develop your career or may involve cultivating your passion. Schedule introductory meetings to help you get to the next level with your business endeavor while taking a personal vacay. You can even write-off your business travel for tax purposes.

13.0

15.0 Schedule time for family and fun activities. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for the holidays to reconnect with your extended family. Set aside family FaceTime (if you are away from each other) or a monthly conference call with the entire family. Sprinkle family functions around the year to capture important moments that are often missed due to the hustle and bustle of the world. look and feel better.

16.0

Feed your body and soul daily. Feeding our bodies the right types of foods can prove to do more that fill us up. Research has found that our brains operate optimally when we consume a very specific amount of glucose (25 grams) in a form that is released slowly over time. Foods that fall into this category and have positive effects on your body and mind include:

12.0

Fish Nuts Seeds Avocado Blueberries Raw carrots Dark chocolate Add these to your diet on a consistent basis while drinking at least 9-13 cups of water per day. Be sure to exercise regularly to feel your best.

Conduct quarterly clean-ups. We are so busy hustling to reach our goals, we tend forget to check in on the important to-dos that arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as fun. When we neglect doing the necessary housekeeping tasks, we leave room for what results in negative consequences. Implement systems to automate some of those pesky tasks that if left undone may accumulate late fees, tickets, service interruptions or larger concerns like health issues. To avoid any unnecessary issues, set up automatic payments for monthly bills or schedule recurring appointments on your calendar.

17.0

Plan weekly time for self-care. Similar to a meeting, create recurring calendar invites for weekly self-care and relaxation.This may involve a long bubble bath, steam room or massage. No matter what life brings when we take the time to refresh and renew ourselves, we work, look and feel better.

14.0

Enjoy your life in the moment. No matter how you spend your days, remember to live in the moment and enjoy it. The way to love your life is by living it in.

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● Jaz Jackson

HOW I IT WITH JASMINE BROWLEY &

MADE By Jasmine Browley

Advertising is really changing. People aren’t watching tv as much so that means those commercials that you usually see they’re no longer reaching those audiences or the demographics that they once did...

...and even display and banner ad marketing which was at one point the cural for for many online advertisers - they’ve basically been rendered largely ineffective because of ad blocking software ‘cause you know nobody wants to see an ad when they’re scrolling. So, consumers are spending a lot more time on social media platforms more than ever before and not only are they spending more time, they're spending more money. These big companies are really paying attention to those that are moving and shaking on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube. So, as audiences look more to those social media channels for entertainment, advice, discovery and learning, top youtube influencers are well positioned to reach millions of engaged followers with brand sponsored content and they can leverage those relationships they have with fans to increase brand awareness and drive sells (i.e. making alot of money) and my girl Jaz Jackson is a testament to all of this. She is beauty guru and has amassed a following on youtube that consists of more than 220k subscribers and 71k instagram followers. Now she’s leveraged her popularity into a full fledged business and she recently launched the Jaz Jackson Collection which a luxury hair extensions line, so without further adieu, I would like to introduce Jaz Jackson:

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Listen to weekly interviews from entrepreneurs. WITH JASMINE BROWLEY

Jasmine: You told me before in previous conversation that you started out in journalism. So how did we get here? Jaz: in honesty, I kept getting fired from my jobs. I was working for a Fortune 500 company and i was doing internal communications for them and they downsized the department and so I was left without a job. So I was just like “You know what, I am tired of doing corporate.” I had obviously made a transition from wanting to do television to corporate and that kind of fizzled out, and so I decided to just go out on a wimp and follow a passion of mine, which was actually just like a hobby at one point, but I just decided to go to hair school. I went to hair school for the purpose of making myself more marketable when I do photoshoots. I came in wanting to be a makeup artist but if I was like “If, I become a hair stylist as well, then I could make more money.” And so, it was during that time that I cultivated my skillset in terms of makeup and all of my classmates would ask me how I did I do this, and how did I do that? And i got tired of telling them how to do it, and so I made a youtube channel and I had no idea that it would do that. The youtube channel was specifically for my classmates and it took off. Jasmine: Were you in your early twenty’s when this all got started? Jaz: So my mid-twenties, I started and it just took off from there. Jasmine: So it took about four years or five years for you to reach..?

Jaz: Well, actually February of 2017 will be year five for me on youtube which is an amazing milestone. I can’t believe that I’ve been on youtube for that long. I kind of feel like a triple OG (laughs). Jasmine: Congrats! That’s amazing. So, I have personally been a fan for a couple of years and I know that I started watching you based on a hair review you did for Ali Express. I know that is a lot of your followers story when they first discovered you. Your hair reviews were sort of the vehicle that launched your career kinda? Jas: No, not kinda. It absolutely did. Because even before that I had made two videos prior to that Ali Express video and they didn’t take off. I was really just trying to find my voice. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do on Youtube. I was kind of playing around and so, like many girls who watch Youtube, I had saw other women trying out this hair that was inexpensive and it was great quality and I had never tried virgin hair before. I got all of my hair from the beauty supply store, you know what I mean? So, I spent my own money and I got the hair and I just made the review off of my experience of the hair and that is what took off my career. That is what did it because at that time, it was a unique time for that particular market. Now its completely oversaturated but at that time, there weren't alot of girls doing a affordable virgin hair reviews, and so that was my way in. To hear more of this interview, click here to subscribe to the “How I MADE It” Podcast.

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FOUNDERS

ROW: Creative entrepreneurs, are you keeping your focus and goals on the mark? Founders Row is created for all entrepreneurs to gain access to first-hand, insightful advice from other pioneering entrepreneurs across various fields. Take notes from these chosen features below.

BOYEDE SOBITAN,

CEO & Co-Founder, OjaExpress

1. Do 3-5 Things EVERYDAY Related To Your Business/Goals “Raindrops are small, but they create oceans”~ Unknown. There are a lot of things that need to get done in order to get your business off the ground, and moving. You can’t do it in one day. Create a list of 3-5 tasks that need to get done for your business everyday. They can be as miniscule as scheduling a meeting with an advisor, or emailing a client. No matter the task, make sure you are doing at least 3-5 things every day that will be pushing your business forward.

2. Network With Your Network’s Network 3. Try Saying That 5 Times Fast! “The richest people in the world look for and build networks, everyone else looks for work” ~ Robert Kiyosaki. Networking is powerful and

a requirement to grow your business. Beyond networking with friends and advisors, network with their network. Ask for introductions to people in their networks that can provide you with insights, resources, or the connections needed to move your business forward.

4. Read Book On Aspects Of Your Business That You Lack Knowledge About You will not know everything about your business. You will have to build a team in order to scale and grow. In the early days, you might not have the financial capacity to build out a team. Figure out key drivers for your business and read up on those skill sets. Two things are happening when you do this 1) You are more knowledgeable about that area of your business and 2) You know what questions to ask and what to look for when you finally bring the person with that skill set onboard.

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4 Best Practices from 4 Successful Entrepreneurs JUSTIN ROMANO,

CEO & co-founder of Backspace and Head of Product Development at Brandless Group

1. Solve A Major Issue Discover a pain point or hole in the market and create a solution.

2. Research Before you Build

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overload your initial product with tons of bells and whistles. Take the ONE thing that your product/service needs to do to solve the pain point in your market, then create your MVP around that (and only that).

4. Research After You Build

Validate your concept with potential Validate your MVP (Minimum Viable Product) customers/users to find out if the solution makes their lives easier and how much money with your customers/users. Get a group of beta testers (your ideal user) and have them they would be willing to pay for it. use your product and give you feedback. A lot of people skip this step and go straight to 3. Stick To The Basics launch only to find out later that they should have done more testing in the earlier stages. Create Your Minimum Viable Product (MVP), or a bare-bones version of your product.

Discover a pain point or whole in the market and create a solution.

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FOUNDERS

ROW

highlights

FROM PAST CONTRIBUTORS

FOUNDERS ROW

IVAN LAND JR

Bootstrapping Advice for Entrepreneurs

FOUNDERS ROW

RENDEL SOLOMON

Nonprofit & Small Business Advice

FOUNDERS ROW

DIMA ELISSA

Business Advice for Minority Entrepreneurs

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JASON COLEMAN,

Executive Director/ Co-Founder of Project SYNCERE

1. Mentorship Works

3. Live and Learn

Secure a mentor that you can go to for sound Learn from all of your successes and failures. advice. Throughout your career, it will be Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make the same mistake twice. useful to have someone available who has already gone down your path to bounce ideas 4. Trustworthiness Is Key off of and that you can go to for advice. Do what you say and say what you mean. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2. Be Open To New Ideas important for people to believe that you are trustworthy and dependable. Being an entrepreneur often means that you are confident in your own abilities and talents, but be open to advice from others.

Subscribe to FOUNDER ROW to learn more or become one of our highlighted Founders of the future. made-magazine.com | 21

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JESSICA WILLIAMS.,

Co-Facilitator, WiSTEM

1. Diversify Your Income Have a few ways to make money in your business so that all of your money isn’t coming from one source. If you can create a digital product that folks can buy, in addition to buying your coaching service, for example, that’s a great way for you to make money while you’re working on other parts of your business.

2. Figure Out The Best Time Of Day For Your Best Work And Protect It If you map out your energy for a whole day, which time of day do you feel the most focused and productive? For me it’s the mornings before noon. For others it’s 10 PM at night. Whatever that time is for you, block it out on your calendar and use that time to get your best work done. Schedule everything else (including meetings) around that time.

3. The Power Of Three Will Set You Free At any given time, you probably have hundreds of things on your to-do list. If you have a big task, see if there is a way to break it down into 3 smaller tasks. If you always focus on your top three tasks at the beginning of every day and make sure to get those done, you will feel accomplished.

4. Unplug. From Work And The Screens

exhausting. Be sure to schedule in ways to unplug - so that you can wind down and give your brain a break. For me, I love to read a book or color. It gets me off the computer, away from the screens and lets me focus on something else for awhile.

Being a creative entrepreneur is amazing but it can also be mentally made-magazine.com | 22

Are you a Creative or Tech Entrepreneur? Tell us your story and you could be featured in MADE. Email

magazine@fame-enterprises.com.

MADE MADEXXXX INC

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MADE MADEXXXX INC

t's a new year and as a creative entrepreneur you are focused, ready to â&#x20AC;&#x153;be greatâ&#x20AC;? and reach mogul status like Diddy and Jay Z. This is your level up year and time to make major business moves. You are going to take a leap of faith and turn your side hustle into a full-time business. You have committed to scaling your online magazine into a multi-million dollar brand. According to the Small Business Administration (SBA) estimates, over 627,000 new businesses open each year. SBA statistics also show that at the same time about 595,000 businesses close each year (latest statistics as of 2008). But that still leaves a potential 32,000 companies to power through to success the next year. In addition to proper marketing and advertising, honoring ethical agreements and having a valuable product, being reasonably savvy with the legal side of starting a business helps, too.

NEW YEAR. NEW YOU.

New Business 3 LEGAL THINGS TO DO WHEN LAUNCHING A BUSINESS THIS YEAR

MADE By Johnetta Paye + Shamontiel Vaughn

Here are three legal tips to help you protect yourself as a creative entrepreneur and your business: PROTECT YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: As a creative entrepreneur, you are constantly creating. Say for example you are a producer and created a dope beat. You want to protect your ability to

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monetize the beat. When you file a copyright registration with the copyright office, it's proof that you are the owner. If you see another producer selling your beat on Spotify or Datpiff, you can send them a cease and desist letter. If they refuse to remove the infringing content, then you can sue them for copyright infringement. Additionally, obtaining a copyright for your beat gives you the ability to charge artists a fee to license the beat on a non-exclusive basis. As an aside, if you have a logo or slogan that you use for your business, that may be entitled to trademark protection. It's always advisable to research trademarks that are currently in use before spending money and developing a trademark you cannot use. GET IT IN WRITING: Let's say you are a writer gifted at producing blog content that draws in readers and now you want to start a business and write blogs for other businesses. Or, you are a graphic designer that has the ability to create graphics and logos that gives businesses and influencers a strong brand identity. In the age of the internet, creative entrepreneurs can gain clients or expand businesses on Fiverr, Upwork and Instagram. As an entrepreneur, before providing freelance services, be sure to get the terms in writing. How many words should be in the blog? How many revisions does the client get for a potential logo or website? What are the payment terms? Does the client have to put half down before the work begins? Having a client sign a contract detailing the terms of the relationship protects the creative entrepreneur. It manages expectations so you are not providing multiple revisions without additional compensation. It helps to ensure you will get paid if the client does not like the work. FORMALIZE YOUR BUSINESS: Whether you operate as a sole proprietor, corporation or LLC, there are forms that you will need to file with the secretary of state in your specific state. It is advisable to speak with a lawyer and a tax professional to make sure you are forming the right business entity for your business.

As Diddy says in his catch phrases, “Let’s Go!” and “Be great” in 2017! made-magazine.com | 25

MADE INC

C R I S S L E W E ST

@crissles Harlem, NY

Writer, Co-Founder of The Read

K I M B E R LY F O ST E R

@kimberlynfoster Oklahoma City, OK

Writer, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of For Harriet

TOP TEN MILLENNIAL WRITERS OF COLOR MADE By Chelsey Sincerray Be inspired by the words of millennials who write to influence their readers with insightful wisdom and knowledge. When one writes with passion, their words are both clear and humbly accepted by their audience. Here's our top 10 influential writers of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture.

J O E L L EO N DA N I E L S

@joelakamag Bronx, NY Contributing Writer for Huffington Post Black Voices, Blavity, Medium made-magazine.com | 26

D. WAT K I N S

@dwatkinsworld Baltimore, MD

New York Times Best Selling Author

MADE MADEXXXX INC

SA B A T E K L E

@tsabatekle Los Angeles, CA

Publisher, Huffington Post Contributor, Best Selling Author

L AU R E N AS H

@ hellolaurenash Chicago, IL

Founder of Black Girl in Om

VA N N R . N E W K I R K I I

@fivefifths Washington, DC

Writer for The Atlantic and Contributing Editor for Seven Scribes

LU VV I E A JAY I

@luvvie Chicago, IL

New York Times Best Selling Author, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Judging You

R O S E T TA THURMAN

@thappyblackwoman Honolulu, HI Author, Publisher, Founder of Happy Black Woman Blog

SA E E D J O N E S

@theferocity Memphis, TN

Poet, 2011 Pushcart Prize Nominee, Exclusive Editor at Buzzfeed

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MADE XXXX

Q U E E N

B O S S

Lauren Lake MADE By Sylvia Snowden

o you get that lucrative corporate paycheck your mom keeps telling you about or do you follow the (far less financially stable) dream that’s been inside of you since you were a kid? The battle in our souls between what makes us money and what makes us happy is a fight as old as time itself. Most of us are ultimately resigned to pick one of our warring factions and make peace with our decision. But not Lauren Lake. She refused to pick a side. She believed she could find a way to master both. And it’s a bet that’s paid off quite handsomely for her.

PHOTO CREDIT: Shannon McCollum

She’s currently starring in two television projects; the Emmynominated court show Paternity Court and a new series called “Queen Boss” which will air on BET Centric. She’s also an author, a wife and mother, a vocalist, and a co-founder of a non-profit geared towards empowering women called the Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network ( or WEEN). Oh, did we mention that she’s also a member of the Bar? MADE sat down with Lauren Lake to hear her story and learn the secret of pursing everyone of our dreams. made-magazine.com | 28

MADE MADE FEATURE XXXX Define yourself. Who is Lauren Lake? I am an attorney, an author, a designer and a singer. I’m a multi-faceted woman who believes in living life limitlessly, which means to its fullest. Yeah, you’ve really done a lot. You star in an Emmynominated court show, you’ve sung background for Mary J. Blige and Jay-Z, you’ve been a designer on HGTV, you’ve owned clothing stores, you’re a lawyer and we could really keep going! Tell me about your life growing up. How did you discover so many different talents? I was very blessed that I had parents who kind of nurtured my zany personality. I was always that crazy little girl who had on a crazy hat, polka dot pants, a striped shirt and a purse, who would ride in a big wheel around the city. Most people would be looking like, “Something is wrong with that child!”, but my parents allowed me to experience and live out my creativity and figure out who I was. They would go out and leave me with the babysitter, they’d come home and I’d drawn a mural on the bathroom wall. It would be spanking worthy but instead, they knew that there was something in me; that later on, I would end up designing homes. Right, but ultimately, when you came of age, you took a pretty traditional path. You went to college and then straight on to law school. What happened? Well (chuckles), that was not my dream. My dream was to be a singer. I grew up in the age of “Fame.” You’re probably too young to remember that show, honey, but when the show “Fame” came out, it was

all about if you had any kind of talent, you were going to go to New York and go to the school of Fame. I remember saying to my mother, “I’m going to go to sing and I’m going to do this.” Both of my parents had PhDs. They were professors in Detroit. Their thing was, “We know you can sing and that’s a good thing but what you’re NOT gonna do is go running off to New York at 16 years old, talking about you’re going to live your dreams of being a singer. You need to go to college.” When I got to college, I really thought I wanted to be an Anesthesiologist, but then, I started to feel like, “I don’t want to spend my life in the hospital.” When I told my parents I wasn’t going to go on to medical school, they weren’t having it. They said, “Look, you need to come up with something else; You have 24 hours.” I honestly sat down and thought about my gifts, because I always wanted to help people and be that voice for the voiceless and I ended up going to law school and loving it. That’s how I got there. So, you finish law school, you eventually get admitted to the Michigan bar and begin your practice. Then one day, you up and move to New York. What prompted the move? The FAME dream? I was a professional singer all while I was practicing law. I used to travel back and forth to Atlanta making trips there to record my own original music. I ended up opening a music production company with a fellow producer. As we searched for talent, I stumbled upon two rappers I thought were amazing and actually got them deals with Ruff Ryders/ Interscope Records and then

Sony Music. They were based in New York, so we felt that the best way to see these deals through was to record these albums in New York. That’s what brought me to New York. When I got to New York, I took the New York and the New Jersey Bars there because I wasn’t licensed in either of these states. Now I’m licensed to practice in all three states. And in no time you’re on camera and singing background for major talent. That’s virtually unheard of, especially in a place like New York. How did you move into those lanes so quickly? There’s a part of my life we kind of missed. When I graduated from law school, I moved to Los Angeles for a brief period. I got off the plane and a friend of mine, Simone English, was there with her husband, Tony, who is a base player. He said, “I have a session to play before I take you back to the house.” I said, “Ok.” He drives me to a session, low and behold, when he goes into the music studio, the chair spins around and it’s Dr. Dre! They play their session and afterward Dre says to me, “Tony tells me you can sing.” I replied, “Yeah, I can.” He said, “Well, alright, I’m having auditions in a few days. I need background singers for the MTV Movie Awards, come out to the auditions if you want.” I came out, I auditioned and I got it. It was my first time singing with a major artist. So, when I arrived in New York, with the music production deals, I was already working as a professional singer. I just started to audition and I ended up linking up with one of my very best friend’s brother, a celebrated music producer named Bink

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MADE MADE FEATURE XXXX Harrell. We ended up getting a background on Jay-Z’s first Blueprint album because Bink produced the track and needed me to lay some vocals. So it just started to go from there. It didn’t just come out of nowhere, I was auditioning and honestly, I was working very hard to secure these jobs. Ok, is that how you found your way into television, your connections in the music industry? Television was a hilarious thing. I absolutely never planned to be on television. That wasn’t my plan. A very good friend of mine, Vincent Herbert, does a lot of TV and music production and he really loved this album that I wrote and produced for myself. And he said to me “I think this music is amazing, Lauren, I want to give you a showcase. So, he actually threw me a showcase and in that showcase were people from music and from television. After that showcase, people started to approach me about doing television, because, within this musical experience, I would do this talk about my experiences and why I wrote a certain song. Then a British production company—and this is before Reality TV—wanted to do a documentary on real life Sex in the City-style women. They ended up wanting to follow my life. That’s how I started on TV. That show probably aired on television 1,000 times on the Metro Channel and then on WE TV. Then news channels and other talk shows started to call to get my take on life, love, and law. So, tell me about the EmmyNominated show you’re hosting now, Paternity Court?

How did you come into that opportunity? Well, the creator and producer of Paternity Court, David Armour, had been following my career for about 10 years. And he called me one day and said “I want to do a show with you. And I have an idea; I want you to talk to families. I want to give a responsible spin to issues involving paternity because we know how it’s been handled thus far. It’s a show called Paternity Court.” When he first said it, my eyebrow raised because I didn’t want to be caught up in a whole bunch of circus buffoonery. That’s not what I’m about. I said, “if we’re going to talk about empowering families this is what I want to do.” And he said, “That’s exactly why I want you to be the judge.” We then met with MGM, they decided I was the best person for the position and that’s how I ended up as judge of Paternity Court. We help families answer paternity questions through DNA evidence. We also empower families with information, both legal and life lessons to help them move forward. You probably spend a lot of time counseling young people about making responsible choices. Does it ever get old? It absolutely never gets old. Watching a father reconnect with his baby or a young woman find a father after 20 years or even helping a young person (or an old person) finally rid themselves of the secrets and the shame they live with; The whispers. We try to make the taboo teachable.

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What was once taboo in our society, this question of paternity, we’re trying to make people understand that it’s just a family situation. It has happened since the beginning of time, down to when (the Virgin) Mary was impregnated with Jesus and who the father was. What’s next for you? Well, I am going to be on a new television show, called “Queen Boss” which will air on BET Centric and I’m very excited about it. It’s a show that helps women entrepreneurs find their limitless lives and I also just recently came from in front of the camera and got behind the camera on a new television project that I am producing about empowering women; The kind of young women who could, if they make a certain wrong turn, end up in my courtroom. Instead, I’m empowering them and inspiring them to live their passions and their dreams, so I’m excited to be producing and creating this new project which will be on the horizon as well.as well. Keep up with Lauren at www. laurenlake.com

MADE XXXX

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MADE XXXX

MADE IN

AMERICA

THE AFTERMATH OF TRUMP

MADE with Malcolm Oliver

This year, President-Elect Donald Trump will take his position in the White House as 45th President of the United States. What are the outcomes of his presidency in relation to the millennial generation? MADE sat down with Dr. Malcolm Oliver - Director and Master of Public Policy and Administration at National Louis University in Chicago - to discuss this matter and his thoughts. MADE: After the election, you pulled together a panel in Chicago to help people discuss the reality of what could happen once Donald Trump takes office. How would you describe the mood there? M Well first, I was really inspired to develop the event. During the night of the election, no one really anticipated or knew of what the outcome was going to be. People would’ve guessed of it being Hillary Clinton, but it wasn’t in the end. People were taken aback and kind of shocked. The reason why I put together the event is because people want to know what’s going to happen. With all the things that Donald Trump talks about, is it going to happen? Is he going to deport 11 made-magazine.com | 32

MADE MADE XXXX NOW

million undocumented immigrants? Is he going to end abortion? Is he going to ban Muslims out of the country? All of these different issues. The reason why I put together this forum is to find experts in the Chicago region that work on these issues. We ended up putting together a pretty good panel to talk about the community’s issues and demographics. People are uniting because they want their rights guarded and to live peacefully in harmony. We have a long history of racism, discrimination and segregation, but we also have a long history of people who fought this “baggage” that we have when it comes to injustices. MADE: Thoughts on Trump’s response to abortion laws? M One of the issues here that’s very serious is that if women do not have the opportunity to choose of having legal means for an abortion, women are more than likely to use illegal means. The main thing is that women were forced to find means that were not medically approved, sanitary, or safe - which creates other health risks. In terms of millennials, this could be the first generation where it’s not a woman’s right. Also, another challenge here is socio-economic and educational issue. The issue of equity is here as well - who will be able to receive the services that they need to receive? The challenge is that these are not easy decisions. These are decisions about life and death for the child and mother. The real issue is how far is the government going to reach in control of what a person does and does not do.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST

CLICK HERE

MADE: In your opinion, do you believe that some of Trump’s proposals will actually be approved? M Well, yes and no. For the most part, Donald Trump talks a big game, but he’s also putting people around him that will carry out the policies as long as they can. Some of these things border as unconstitutional or really raise a question on what kind of society do we want to develop. The short answer would be yes, he’s going to try and move forward with all of the policies that he says for as long as he can. MADE: What about health care? Anything that was talked about that could make a difference for millennials? M: Trump vowed to repeal Obamacare, which is the

Affordable Care Act. The goal of the Affordable Care Act was to bring more people into the tent of having health insurance - to try to slow the roll of the Federal budget’s growth. Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security (which are the largest social services in the country and the world) takes over 60% of the Federal budget. So, individuals who do not have health care and/or needed some sort of medical procedure, eventually the fees will be paid by the Federal government. The goal of the Affordable Care Act was to slow down

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the costs of healthcare. Consequently, Trump has vowed to get rid of the healthcare within his first 100 days. Because the Senate and House are both Republican, they will be able to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They are going to slow down and phase out the Affordable Care Act and replace it with supplementary programs as they can. The most vulnerable individuals financially will most likely be dropped off of health insurance.

Read a newspaper. Read a magazine. Listen to the news. If you don’t like what they’re talking about on CNN or MSNBC, watch the nightly news. Also, the more you internalize the negative things that are being said and they impact you in return, speak to other people about it. You’re not alone. This is a very diverse country and dynamic place where there are people who have been fighting against injustice in America since the beginning of this nation for over 240 years. So you are not alone. Get educated, learn MADE: In what way will Trump’s presidency about public policies. Learn about what you impact civil rights and the LGBTQ community? can do and what other individuals are doing. Combat the negative things that are there. In M: Throughout Donald Trump’s campaign your community, become part of the solution. he really didn’t “gay bash” sort of speak, Don’t just complain, find ways where you can but many of the individuals that he has put support - whether it’s going to a local school around him have been very hostile towards mentoring kids, working with senior citizens, the LGBTQ community such as his vice supporting education, or even starting a president Mike Pence. One of the things that business. Make sure you are constantly President-Elect Trump said that he would do learning in order to self-support yourself - that is roll back all of Obama’s executive orders will allow you to take care of others. There’s - one of those being from 2013, which bans something that everyone can do, but it’s really discrimination based on sexual identity for about staying conscious and knowing that the all government contract workers. That’s one world does not have to be such a horrible of the things that will impact the LGBTQ place. It doesn’t have to be ran by bigots. It community. Also, with the repeal of the doesn’t have to be ran by people who treat Obamacare law. There are certain protections others badly. That may be the case or you in there that states that healthcare companies might see that, but we still have good people can not discriminate citizens based on their on this planet too. You can contribute to race, gender, and ethnicity (things of that being one of the good ones who are doing nature). There have been a lot of companies good things. that continue to discriminate against those in the LGBTQ community. With that being said, any of the new legislation being passed to try to repeal Obamacare may not protect that community. There’s also the marriage equality that was approved by the Supreme Court last year. Laws on marriage equality could possibly be overturned if Trump would appoint more than one Supreme Court justice. So there are a lot of issues that are here. These are the things to watch out for. MADE: What advice would you given on how we, as millennials, can do to be more engaging in our local communities to contribute?

Make sure you are constantly learning in order to self-support yourself - that will allow you to take care of others."

M: The main thing is to stay informed.

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MADE THEN XXXX MADE

HISTORY MAKERS RECOGNIZING DR. MAE JEMISON

In recognition of Black History Month, MADE honors trailblazer and history maker, Dr. Mae Jemison - the world's first African American woman in space. Read about the highlights of her journey as a game changer.

r. Mae Jemison, the first woman of color in the world to go into space, cultivated her aspiration to be a scientist at a young age. At the age of 16, Dr. Mae enrolled at Stanford University and graduated with degrees in both chemical engineering and Afro-American studies. She received a Doctor of Medicine degree from Cornell University in 1981. In 1992, Dr. Mae flew aboard a joint space shuttle mission with the Japanese space agency and was NASA’s first Science Mission Specialist performing experiments in material science, life science and human adaptation to weightlessness. After NASA, Dr. Mae founded The Jemison Group, a technology consulting firm that explores and

develops stand-alone science and technology programs and companies. Dr. Mae’s role a history maker not only lies in her ability to blaze trails as a young woman from Chicago, but as a contributor to American history as a leading voice for science, social responsibility and education. Today, Jemison continues to dedicate her life to the sciences, leading 100 Year Starship, an initiative to ensure the capabilities for human travel to another star within the next 100 years while transforming life on Earth. A member of Fortune 500 companies’ boards, the National Academy of Medicine and the National Women’s Hall of Fame, Dr. Mae Dr. Mae Jemison speaks fluent Russian, Japanese and Swahili, as well as English. For more info on Dr. Mae, visit www.drmae.com

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MADE MADE MUSIC XXXX

S O U N D WAVES

H OT NE W A RTISTS

MADE By Chelsey Sincerray

From R&B vibes to rhythms of Hip-Hop, Soundwaves is created to embark upon the rising artist community. For this issue, we have featured six artists across the Midwest region. Be sure to follow and listen to these artists as they continue to grind in their industry.

Listen to Therepy EP

JEREMY FOSTER •

Soundcloud:

•

@IAmJeremyFoster

•

Hometown:

Chicago, IL •

Recent Project:

Therapy EP BIO

Jeremy Foster is a 22 year old R&B Singer/Songwriter from Chicago, IL. Since the tender age of 13 years old Foster has been singing with passion ignited in him from musical influences such as Usher, Chris Brown and Trey Songz. Foster grew up in a generation where being in love and treating women right was taboo. So Foster decided to make it his mission to bring back music that caters to women and opens the door for genuine relationships again. With singing as his main talent and songwriting as his hidden secret weapon, Foster

exudes originality with his heart-felt pieces. Foster can be described as the boy next door with a little bit of an edge. Foster’s goal is to bring back the essence of R&B that made it so impactful in the 90s and to encourage positivity and love. Three words that sums up your wave of music. And why?

1. Emotional - I've always been very in tune with my emotions and the emotions of others. I want people to feel something when they hear my music. My music creates a certain energy when you hear it, listeners will be able to connect to the songs and identify with the emotions displayed. 2. Personal - My music is very honest, sometimes almost crossing the line. My music is like my journal by sharing various things most people would never know. My music is also therapeutic. it's a way for me to get all these thoughts out of my head. A lot of listeners will

made-magazine.com | 36

get the vibe that they know me. 3. Insightful - When you hear my music you'll learn something new or walk away with a different perspective on a certain topic. I'm all about writing lyrics that challenge the listener and raise questions on the many choices we make as a society. The listener will be able to experience everything i'm learning and grasp a better understanding of what I think about everything going on with my generation. What makes your music different from others in your industry?

My music is different than any R&B singer. I set a different tone from the majority of my peers. In this current generation of music, R&B has become somewhat misogynistic. I'm the guy coming in and creating my own lane. I'm someone who believes in real genuine relationships and do my best to encourage that in my music. I also use my songwriting to stay afloat on the next wave of music and even create my own. I'm always evolving and believe I can eventually master any style.

MADE MADE MUSIC XXXX

B-FREE Listen to Ode 2 A Luv Affair LP

• • •

Soundcloud: @bFree2music Hometown: Chicago, IL Recent Project: Ode 2 A Luv Affair LP

CLICK TO SEE OUR LAST SOUNDWAVES EVENT

BIO

When you're first introduced to the soulful and artistic sound of B~Free, it is but a mere taste of all the capabilities this young lady embodies. The Chicago-born Milwaukee native is not only known for her soulful voice, but as a multi-instrumentalist as well. Composing original songs at only 7 years old, B~Free has dedicated her life to music. She’s a proud alumna of Milwaukee High School of the Arts and has earned degrees in musical studies from both Lincoln University of Pennsylvania and VanderCook College of Music. B~Free released her first project, "Open Mic, Open Heart,” in 2012 earning rave reviews for her original composition from notable blogs such as This is RnB, The Conscious Tip and Fake Shore Drive. But then, tragedy struck. B~Free underwent vocal cord surgery in 2014, fearing she would never sing again. But, she persevered, dropping her latest album, "Ode 2 A Luv Affair,” late 2016, reclaiming her gift. Today, B~Free serves her musical community as as an educator & solo artist as well as a musician/lead vocalist of Milwaukee musical collective, Foreign Goods. Her treasure chest of talents continues to catapult her up the ladder of Milwaukee’s music scene and she’s only getting started. She remains hungry to give music what it’s been

missing: a chance to B~Free. Three words that sums up your wave of music. And why?

My music is nostalgic, soulful & poetic. The core of my sound is sonically rooted in 90s-2000s R&B/Neo Soul while my lyrical and melodic expression resonates with anyone who connects to that era of music. What makes your music different from others in your industry?

There’s a level of organic sincerity that I offer in my work, which fills a musical void in today’s mainstream genres. The fact that I also write & produce all of my own music allows me to have the strongest connection with the music that I put out. I treat each song as a personal baring of my soul, yet with an air of simplicity for listeners to easily relate to.

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MADE XXXX MADE MUSIC

JUSTIN RUFF • • •

Soundcloud: @justinruffmusic Hometown: Chicago, IL Recent Project: The Ruff Draft

Listen to The Ruff Draft

BIO

Cincinnati native, Justin Ruff is an up-and-coming R&B artist in Chicago, IL. His unique sound/ style has garnered the attention of JET, ABC's Windy City LIVE, Soultrain.com and Cincinnati's #1 radio station, 101.1 The Wiz, to name a few. Ruff released his debut EP, The Ruff Draft, in January 2016 and it debuted in the Top 100 on iTunes R&B/Soul Charts. Since its release, he’s been awarded great opportunities, such as opening for Grammy-nominated R&B artist, Ginuwine and R&B group, Dru Hill. Fresh off his successful Intimate Nights tour, Justin is showing no signs of slowing down

as he's already been selected to perform at the 2017 Taste of Chicago. Three words that sums up your wave of music. And why?

Unique. Refreshing. Feel good.

What makes your music different from others in your industry?

I have a really dope way of fusing old school with today's music. I've got a falsetto/voice that puts you in mind of some of the greats and the overall feel/depth they brought to records. But then I'm singing over records that vibe heavy and flow nicely with today's mainstream music. You end up getting the best of both worlds with me.

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MADE XXXX

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MADE MUSIC

Listen to The Greg Owens Project

GREG OWENS •

BIO

Greg Owens aka G.O. is a 23 year old drummer, producer, recording artist and songwriter planning to make a huge impact in the music world. Born on May 14, his first taste of Hometown: music was at the age of 2 when he first picked up the drums. Chicago, IL At a young age, he began to play the drums at church and Recent Project: “The along with other bands, began writing songs at 10 years old Greg Owens Project” and started producing at the age of 13. Soundcloud:

@gregowensmusic • •

Since then he has produced for himself and local acts around the city on Chicago, IL. Owens eventually started his own label group called “Young Nation Entertainment” which established many young artists to get their music produced and heard. Since his freshman year in high school, he has recorded 8 mixtapes (Next Generation I, II & III, Living In a Fantasy, The G Files I & II and School Dayz) in which he produced and mastered himself. His most popular songs include “It’s Alright” feat. Michael Owens (his father) and “Popular” which rightfully gained him notoriety all over the Midwest. He currently attends Columbia College in Chicago, IL majoring in Music Business. He dropped his latest mixtape “The Greg Owens Project” in September 2015. What three words sum up your wave of music? Why?

Limitless - I don't limit myself to just having one particular sound. I grew up listening and playing all kinds of music so I like to incorporate a lot of styles into my music. Honest - I talk a lot about my life experiences in my music. People can respect honesty, especially when they can identify with it. Uplifting - Spreading positivity in my music is very healing to me. There's a lot of negativity that is happening in this world and I want to be one of those positive lights. What makes your music different from others in your industry?

What makes me different is that I stay true to myself. I don't need to follow what's hot in music. I just do my own thing. I don't limit myself in creating.

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MADE MADE MUSIC XXXX

HEAVY CROWNZ • • •

Listen to The World is UP

BIO

There is a saying; heavy is the head of the king that wears the crown. Heavy has taken this saying to mean that with the position of leadership comes great responsibility and sometimes burden which is a role that everyone cannot take on. Gregory Sashington, better known as Heavy Crownz, hailing from the south side of Chicago; 63rd and Parnell - in the dangerous Englewood community, writes music with a urban feel and Afrocentric undertones . With a degree in History from Tuskegee University, Crownz is an mc that aims to bring all the wealth of knowledge he’s obtained back to his very own tribal grounds. Heavy has been rapping since the young age of 8 and first fell in love with Hip-Hop while watching his older cousin recite Bone ThugsN-Harmony lyrics. Some of his main musical influences include: Common, Nas, Rakim, Curren$y, Kanye West and Do or die. With a style of flow he calls “Afrocentric Urban” Heavy’s strongest motivations to go on have been the need for people to have impactful music with substance and purpose. Heavy Crownz has released three mixtapes and two EPs under his old stage name “Dilemma”, “All in good time”, “Sincerely Dope” and “Cadillac confessions to name a few. All of them can be found on datpiff.com. After releasing his latest EP “The World is UP” he is currently working on new music for the new year. His current video “Black Sauce” will keep

Soundcloud: @heavy_crownz Hometown: Chicago, IL Recent project: “The World is UP”

viewers on the edge of their seat while his video “Tough Love” brings fans into the world of the 63rd representer as an artist in the windy city. What three words sum up your wave of music? Why?

Relatable, Uplifting, and Afrocentric What makes your music different?

What makes my music different is my end goal and how I aim to accomplish that goal. My music speaks of love, unity and self determination. Moreover my music is a perfect blend of easy going vibes and thought provoking subject matters for the purpose of creating a common ground between the reactionary and the revolutionary.

Are you an artist or musician? If you are interested in being spotlighted in Soundwaves or performing at Soundwaves New Artist Listening session, email magazine@fame-enterprises.com.

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Spread Love #MADEMoods :

MADE By Chelsey Sincerray

his playlist is about spreading love, encouragement and upliftment within yourself and towards others. Let’s continue to keep hearts warm with positive vibes to spread towards others amongst our communities.

SOLANGE "Don’t Touch My Hair” ALBUM: A Seat at the Table (2016)

ALICIA KEYS J. COLE

“Crooked Smile” ALBUM: Born Sinner (2013)

“Blended Family” ALBUM: HERE (2016)

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TALIB KWELI featuring Marsha Ambrosius

“It Only Gets Better” ALBUM: Prisoner of Conscious (2013)

MADE MADE MUSIC XXXX

ANDRA DAY

MICK JENKINS

“Rise Up” ALBUM: Cheers to the Fall (2015)

Spread Love” ALBUM: The Healing Component (2016)

ROBERT GLASPER featuring Lupe Fiasco and Bilal “Always Shine” Album: Black Radio (2012)

DONNIE TRUMPET AND THE SOCIAL EXPERIMENT

“Sunday Candy” ALBUM: Surf (2015)

PHARRELL WILLIAMS “Brand New” ALBUM: GIRL (2014)

KANYE WEST

“Touch the Sky” ALBUM: Graduation (2007)

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MADE MADEXXXX LIFE MADE LIFE

FILMS CREATIVES MUST WATCH MADE By India McMiller

Use these impressive films as a great excuse to take a break from the hustle and bustle of life, while also gaining knowledge and inspiration for your creativity. 1. LA LA LAND (2016) Already gaining Oscar buzz, critics are applauding this 2016 romantic musical as a revival for the musical genre. Sure to attract theater and performing arts fans with fabulous performances from two of the most talented actors of our generation (Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone), La La Land is a film to spark the creativity and imagination in us all.

AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY Chronicled by journalist and filmmaker Alison Klayman, this film follows Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei, showcasing how he boldly uses his art for social activism in preparation for his series in exhibitions, as he experiences tension and backlash from the Chinese government.

YVES SAINT LAURENT (2014) A great pick for the aspiring fashionistas, Yves Saint Laurent explores the life and career of the infamous French fashion designer. From becoming the head designer of Dior at the age of 20 to developing his own brand, the film showcases the glamorous successes of the designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life, in addition to his darker times, including mental health and addiction struggles. Such honesty makes the biopic an important film to watch, giving viewers a look at the potential ups and downs on the road to fashion success.

4. ART & COPY (2009) For anyone striving to work in the marketing industry, this is the film for you. This documentary pulls the curtain back on the people who created some of the most impactful and influential advertisement campaigns in pop culture history, displaying the brilliance and importance of rebellion, creativity and human emotion.

PABLO (2012) Hailed by American filmmaker Jonathan Deeme as "the best designer of film titles in the country today," graphic artist Pablo Ferroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life is documented in this engaging film, which uses a unique blending of film footage and animation, bringing a fresh, inspiring approach to traditional filmmaking.

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MADE ON DEMAND CLICK HERE TO ORDER A PRINT COPY OF MADE MAGAZINE

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MADE MADEXXXX LIFE

B O O K REVIEW: R O B I N AY E R S Entrepreneur and author Robin Ayers sat down with MADE Magazine to discuss her journey on writing her most recent novel, Unspoken Languages. We were given the opportunity to speak with Ayers about the novel’s background and her goals for the new year. MADE: Your powerful book Unspoken Languages is rooted in remind people of their power within. How and where did the idea to write this book come about?

RA: The ideas basically came from how I live my life. I’m a huge believer in the fact that we’ve all been born with a power. It’s a power that we all have - it’s the power of belief. But not many people know that they are able to utilize it for their own good. Most people don’t understand that your power can either work for you or against you. But what you can do (and what I hope people get from the book) is help people understand that you take your belief and intentionally turn it around to use it as force or however you want to live your life.That’s what I’ve done with my own life. I want to convey it as best as possible and get it out to the masses.

MADE: Which chapter from Unspoken Languages would you say impacted you most as you were writing?

RA: That’s interesting and hard to boil down because I believe they are all powerful. One of my favorite chapters in the book is when I talk about how my brother was killed. It’s easy to say all of the good things. It’s easy to pinpoint all of the wonderful things that have happened in my life. But what about the challenging times that happened in everyone’s lives? This particular chapter in the book is called “When the Rain Falls”. The rain falls in everybody’s life - good times and bad times.That was a very challenging chapter. But, there’s beauty in it. I’m showing people how you can take such a negative thing or event that has happened in your life and turn it around for good - learning something from it

and being able to adjust to it so that something good does come from your life. So I think that’s one of the most powerful chapters.

MADE:What are some affirmations you speak and exude within yourself as a woman, entrepreneur? RA: I affirm everyday that I was built in God’s image. So, the things that He is able to do, He also gave me the ability to do. One of the things that I practice or tell anyone who has an ear to listen, that just like God spoke and it was, we have the ability to speak and it is.That’s something I reaffirm to myself. I walk in favor - all things are working in my favor for the good, all the time - even when it looks like it or not. Those are some of the things I tell myself as a woman. I’m an entrepreneur, wife, and I’m a mom.

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MADE MADE LIFE XXXX Sometimes you feel like you want to break, but we’re meant to build and not break. As all of those things in my own life, I tell women this is how we’re created to do all things. With the right balance, we can literally do everything that we want to do.

there are others who are self-proclaimed creative beings. I am one myself. Sometimes when you get in a little rut or you don’t know pretty much where MADE: Nice. Any affirmations that you give youryou want to go, all self for being a mom? that is a resistance trying to stop you. It’s RA: For my kids, one of my affirmations is that one a resistance trying to of the greatest gifts I can give is to live my dream. stop you from getting to That’s a powerful thing to say and an incredible the next level of greatness. thing to live. We often think that we’re so busy and You might even know what you often taking time away from our kids. I’m saying, want to do, but you’re afraid to do it. Some people no, you are giving to your kids. Maybe you don’t are just afraid of taking that leap. If we can just take see it now, maybe they don’t see it now. But they the leap and get outside the walls, that often times will wake up one day and say “Wow, look at my will catapult you into an entirely different realm. Mom...my Mom is everything”. How can we tell our That alone will get your creative juices flowing and children that you can do anything in the world if spark a whole new motivation for where you’re you’re not accomplishing that? So yes, the greatest going as an entrepreneur. thing that you can ever give your kids is the fulfill your purpose - even if it’s not purpose, it’s just to MADE: So what’s next for you? As an author and be happy.That’s the greatest gift that you can give entrepreneur, where do you see yourself going? your kids is to be happy. RA: I am about to start my second book. It’s also MADE: Since we’re on a roll...any affirmations under the Unspoken Languages brand.That one is that you give yourself for being a wife? going to be motivational as well, it’s not spiritual. This one is about pure hustle.This is going to help Similarly as a wife, one of the greatest things you people put themselves on the map. Not asking can do for your husband and for your family is to anyone to help them, but to put themselves on the take care of yourself first. Not last, not third, not map. I’m really excited about that one. However, in somewhere in the middle, but first. It sounds very the meantime, with this current book, I am called selfish. It probably is. But, if you take that lens off to travel. I am called to travel abroad. In 2017, I am and put the correct lens on, you can say,“Because looking to go to a lot different countries to host I’m great, I’m taking care of myself. I’m happy! I’m seminars, workshops and speaking engagements. smiling!”You bring that to your family.That soons I will be utilizing this tool as a blessing for others pours out onto your family. As a woman, I believe in because that is the sole purpose of this book - is bending not breaking - we are able to do it all. to get a message out. It’s very blatant and in layman’s terms for the basic believer and for a more MADE: Let’s reflect on the use of affirmations seasoned believer who can use a little boost.This and speaking power into yourself. For creative new is the book for millennials.There’s a mindset entrepreneurs who are in the part of their journey that our generation has right now.There’s a more where it’s rocky or not steering in the direction powerful language that I want to get that can help that they are envisioning it, what advice would you people do it themselves. When you do it yourself, give to them? nobody can take it from you, nobody can get credit and nobody’s going to get the glory but God. I’m RA: One of the best things as a creative entreprereally excited, that one is going to be dope. neur that you can always do for yourself to get the juices flowing for your business is to shake up the Visit the Unspoken Languages website for more monotony.You have to do something different. A lot info: www.unspokenlanguages of times (even in entrepreneurship), just because IG & Twitter: @robinayers we say ‘creative’, some people still fall into a box. They won’t get outside the four walls of a box. Creative means up, down, diagonally - the ‘creative’ uses all things and anyway that you want it. So, If you are interested in sharing your with that being said, you have to shake it up.You have to do something outside the norm in order book with MADE, email to serve that up. I believe that everyone was born magazine@fame-enterprises.com. with a sense of some sort of creativity. But again,

Are you an author?

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Powering her

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KEKE PALMER MADE By Ashley White

The Queen of Hustle…and she’s just getting started

t the young age of 23, Keke Palmer is one of the hardest working women in the entertainment industry and she’s creating her own lane in Hollywood and beyond. With a booming acting career and making waves with her music, the multi-talented star is gearing up for the release of her new book, I Don’t Belong to You—an inspirational guide that encourages young women to live their best lives as they navigate the challenges of the twenty first century. Here, KeKe Palmer talks about her new book and how she plans to change the game by empowering the youth.

Photo Credit: Rowan Daley

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Passion

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MADE: What motivated you to share your story in your new book I Don’t Belong to You? KP: I think it was the same reason I wanted to do my talk show. I just feel like there are things that I want my peers to know, especially those that don’t get to see all the realities that I’ve seen since I’ve been in this industry. I think there are certain things they should know about going after your dreams. There are myths that people believe when going after your dreams. With me being someone who is going after mine and being someone quote unquote “successful” with it, I can share things that might make their journey a lot easier. MADE: How do you hope your journey will resonate with young women? KP: I hope they feel it in a real way. Whatever that means to them. MADE: In the book you write, “Real happiness can’t find us if we aren’t honest and truthful with ourselves and to ourselves.” Can you recall a specific time in recent years when this lack of transparency kept you from realizing your full potential? KP: I think in many aspects of my life, one shining moment would be in music. I used to allow other people’s perception of me to become the perception of myself. I couldn’t quite see outside of who they thought of me and I allowed myself to get trapped in that space. It kept me uncreative and also very unhappy for a long time because I kept running up against roadblocks. And they weren’t roadblocks justified by any real reason or any real thing—they were just words that people said. There was no real reason for not allowing myself to just try. MADE: From your outspoken stance against cultural appropriation to your reaction on the recent presidential election results, you’re not shy about stating and defending your opinion. How does your book document your journey to becoming such a self-assured and outspo-

ken individual? KP: The book talks completely on how I became that. It specifically walks you through the habits of why I didn’t feel that and the habits in which made me feel that way. That’s really what my book is all about. It’s saying that if there’s anything I have to offer at all, this is what it will be. My way of thinking is the main thing. That’s what has propelled me forward—my ability to empower myself mentally and it’s transferred into everything I do. MADE: One of the topics your book tackles is race. How have you managed to quiet the noise in an industry that isn’t known for its racial inclusivity or sensitivity and find your voice within? KP: I think it’s kind of a balancing game in terms of acknowledging or approaching that. On one hand, it deserves to be acknowledged and you want people to know that you understand and you see when they feel they are being misrepresented. On the other hand, you don’t want to personalize it because you don’t want to encourage victimization because the reality is that racism stems from ignorance. Ultimately there is no such thing as race. So even when you’re talking on the subject you have to acknowledge the elephant that is. It’s hard to diminish something that’s also sensitive not to acknowledge. You can find yourself in a weird place. You don’t want to encourage the ideas or ideals, but at the same time it is a real thing that some people believe in. It’s a case-by-case situation on how you feel in the moment you’re going to approach that concept. MADE: You’ve been classified as a new age social justice warrior thanks to your use of social media to address polarizing subject matters. What inspired you to begin using social media as a way to voice your opinion and mobilize your followers? KP: It’s right there in front of me and it’s a medium to engage with the people who

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I would like to be in a position of major assistance to my generation. I want to be able to create ways to assist the youth in finding themselves and pursuing their dreams.” support me and I don’t have to go through all these different people in order to reach them. I don’t want to say it’s power because it’s not so much about me having power over them. It’s more so about individuals having power over things they aren’t available to be a part of. Meaning if you don’t have the eyes of corporations or anything like that, you can create your own atmosphere online and get as many eyes on you as you want depending on how you go about it. What I like about social media is that it allows me to create my own movement and my own world with my own supporters and I can support them too. So that’s what I love about social media—it doesn’t create a scenario that leads to you limits. It’s really a limitless scenario. I’ve been able to build so much through my career because of my digital access. And it’s not just me and I talk about that in my book as well. I have been extremely inspired by online people who have changed the game. There so many young people that use social media in the proper way. MADE: In a previous interview you said that you love quotes. What’s your favorite quote that empowers you? KP: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” It’s an Aristotle quote and I have it tattooed on me. I love it because it’s all about habits and I think that’s ultimately what humanity

is. We often give in to the power of flesh and the human body is a vehicle. We sometimes forget that we are human beings because we do have access that gives life to our bodies which is our spirit. But at the same time, the body and the spirit are two separate ideologies. One follows the ego and the other is comfortable in its eternal existence. Sometimes I feel like we get caught up in the habits that make us human and we get caught up in our flesh. We allow that to make us feel as if we are the problem, but the reality is that it’s just our flesh. It’s about controlling our brain to be able to be in charge of the habits we want to accept or add to our lives and the other things we don’t. That quote to me really speaks to that. Which is at the end of the day, you’re not a terrible person. You’re not the most amazing person in the world, but you’re human. Life is about having things you learn and things you unlearn. No different from when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said people learn to be unkind, meaning those aren’t things you’re born with. I just realized you can add any type of personality trait to you that you want. If you want to be the girl that’s always optimistic, you can make yourself that. If you want to be the guy that’s always on time, you can make yourself that. Once I realized that, I realized that excellence is a habit. All I have to do is be excellent in each thing I did and in each moment I was in and that would make me excellent.

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MADE FEATURE

I always wanted to make sure I’m giving the people something. I love the beginning, the middle and the end. I love the storyline. I love something to believe in. I think that’s what we miss about the 90s so much as a millennial generation. The reason why we cling to that stuff is because it had a story. It had something for us to believe in. It had the spirit and the life of that type of programming. I like to implement that in my stuff and bring that to my artistry. And let them know that I do care about you. When people see my stuff I want them to know for a fact that I was thinking about you because this was made for you. MADE: You’ve done so much by the age of 23. What accomplishment are you most proud of? KP: Probably my mind. The understanding in my mind to not allow me to take everything to heart in terms of this industry because this industry is such an up and down kind of realm. I’ve been really blessed to have a brain that hasn’t gotten too scrambled in the process because it’s very normal for that to happen. I’m just very grateful for that. MADE: You’ve grown up in the unyielding and often unforgiving gaze of the public eye. But the GAG is, you’re still working and challenging yourself as an entertainer and businesswoman and a charitable benefactor. What drives you to keep at it? KP: The kids, the youth. I really love making television for my generation. I love making things for them. And that’s really what drives me. I grew up on informative programming, meaning programs that always have a message to them. Not to say all programs don’t, but when I would watch the end of Jerry Springer, I liked that it was dramatic, chaotic and it was funny but I also liked that at the end you would get Jerry’s final word. I loved when I would watch Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and he would take us through his day and how he always talked to us and referred to us as we were watching television, and at the end he would give us a message to take with us. I’ve always loved that and it has greatly influenced the kind of entertainer that I am because

MADE: Uncertainty and fear of failure can oftentimes keep people from pursuing their dreams. What advice would you give to someone to encourage them to keep going? KP: What else are you going to do? Not go hard for yourself? That’s all that life is about. So dust yourself off and try again. MADE: What’s your end game in this industry? Where do you want all of your career choices up to this point to take you? KP: To be in a position where I can produce content from talent other than myself and to share my brand through different channels that allow me to be affirming to the youth. That’s what I really would love to be. I want to be a source of service, just like people have been to me like Nick Cannon and Queen Latifah. I would like to be in a position of major assistance to my generation. I want to be able to create ways to assist the youth in finding themselves and pursuing their dreams.

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TH E NEW

You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not’?”

AMERICAN DREAM

Creative

E NTR E PR E NEUR SH I P MADE By Chelsey Sincerray

– GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

he vision of the “American Dream” resides only in the depths of our own minds. We create our vision and move forth into conquering what we envision for our future. Continue to let your passion, imagination and destiny unfold into what your own dream.

PHOTO CREDIT: Chelsey Sincerray

LIVING THE

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Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – GEORGE BERNARD SHAW made-magazine.com | 53

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A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.” – GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

Just do what must be done. This may not be happiness, but it is greatness.” – GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

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MADE LIFE - 6 MONTH MADE CALENDAR XXXX OUTLOOK

08. THE 74TH GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS | BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA | January 8, 2017

29. THE 23RD ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS | HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA | January 29, 2017

17.

05. SUPERBOWL | HOUSTON, TEXAS | February 5, 2017

11. NAACP IMAGE AWARD | LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA | February 11, 2017

12. THE 59TH ANNAL GRAMMY AWARDS | LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA | February 12, 2017

17. ALL STAR WEEKEND | NEW ORLEANS | February 17-19, 2017

26. 89TH ACADEMY AWARDS | HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA February 26, 2017

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28-3. GROWTHCON | ONLINE | February 18, - March 3, 2017

10. SXSW MUSIC FESTIVAL | AUSTIN, TEXAS | March 10 - 19, 2017

25. STELLAR AWARDS | LAS VEGAS, NEVADA | March 25, 2017

08. 2017 MTV MOVIE AWARDS | LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA | April 8, 2017

14. COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL | INDIO, CALIFORNIA | April 14 - 23, 2017

21. LAKE FX SUMMIT AND EXPO | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS | April 21 22, 2017

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17. BLACK ENTERPRISE ENTREPRENEUR SUMMIT | HOUSTON, TEXAS | May 17 - 20, 2017

21. INTERNAL CONFERENCE ON COMMUNICATIONS | PARIS, FRANCE | May 21 - May 25, 2017

14. AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL | MIAMI, FLORIDA | June 14 - 18, 2017

16. LAKEFRONT FESTIVAL OF ART | MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN | June 16 - 18, 2017

22. BLOGHER '17 | ORLANDO, FLORIDA | June 22 - 24, 2017

25. BET AWARDS 2017 | LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA | June 25, 2017

30. ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL | NEW ORLEANS, LOUSIANA | June 30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 3, 2016

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FOLLOW J O I N CONNECT @MADEMAGAZINEUS

WWW.MADE-MAGAZINE.COM CONNECT WITH OUR SISTER COMPANIES ON IG: @AFAMEEVENT @FAMEIMC

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