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M A G A Z I N E
MUSIC EDITION ANGELA YEE EXCLUSIVE
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NUMERAL 3
NOV/DEC 2019
THE INSIDERS Publ isher & Chief Execut ive Officer Tempest t Harris (CEO) Chief Operat ing Officer/ Edit or In Chief Maresa Scot t (COO) Creat ive Direct or Michael Lopez Administ rat ive Staff Sal es/ Market ing Michel l e Mit chel l Ashl ey Lindo Graphic Design Layout Designer Ant oine Boderick El isha Cut t er Fashion St yl ist Jerry Thompson St yl e and Wardrobe Cont ribut or Jekia Benson Makeup Art ist Al exis Washingt on April Hil l
Writ ers Writ er Desi Hel m Cont ribut ing writ er Marage Bl akeney Writ er Int ern l il l ian tayl or Bl ogger/ Journal ist Int ern mary l ucas bree wil kins This Edit ion Phot ography Laurence Logan-The T.Z St udio michael l opez Videography Toussaint St udiosEmmanuel Toussaint Corporat e Publ ic Rel at ions Pac Publ ic Rel at ions Digital Level 21Media LLC. Yumpu Wribit s
www.Level 21mag.com
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M K LOOK BOOK
M AKAILA GARCIA
ANGELA YEE EXCLUSIVE
TABLEOF CONTENT 34
COVER FEATURE/ NUM ERAL 3
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PRODUCER 20
TOMS X LEVEL21
4 REASONSTOSHOPTOMS Wr it t en By: Lillian Taylor
TOMS are a must have for men, women, and children. Those looking to start their fall wardrobe TOMS has the right look for you! Each shoe has been specially made to incorporate comfort and include intricate designs. They offer a variety of options not only for you, but the entire family. Not only will you look stylish in the latest trends, but with every purchase, you are helping many people around the world. Since 2006, TOMS has given shoes, sight, and clean water to more than ninety-four million people world wide. Each purchase helps support their mission to fix pressing issues such as gun violence, homelessness, and gender inequality. ?...we have our customers to thank for turning our mission? using business to improve lives? into a movement? (TOMS.com). With the launch of this years Fall Fashion, your help and support can create safe water systems, restore sight to people in need, and even, in turn, lead to improving health, increase economic opportunity, and provide greater access to education. Level21?s TV crew had the wonderful opportunity to rock five new spectacular pairs that were sent to them exclusively from TOMS and fell in love with the brand all over again. If you haven't shopped TOMS in a while, trust us, you are missing out on quality and comfort with heart. We decided to came up with a short list of what makes TOMS different from any other shoe brand on the market today.
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1.TOMS is Standing for A Better Tomorrow. As mentioned above, TOMS participates in multiple charities in order to help people all around the world. They take pride in hosting events and becoming a heavy voice within the crowd that wants to end gun violence, provide safe resources, and much more. At TOMS.com, you can read an entire collection of stories on how your TOMS purchases make an impact on the community. Visit TOMS.com and take a look at the ?your impact? section to dig deeper into each fight for a better tomorrow.
2. TOMS Rewards you for Shopping!
Cam er on ( Level21 TV Assist an t Pr odu ct ion ) TOM S?[Black STAR WARS Space Pr in t M en?s TRVL Lit e Slip-on s] Pr ice: $94.95
Yam ar is ( Level21 TV Cor r espon den t ) Rock in g TOM S?: [Black an d Wh it e Can vas Give Plat f or m Wom en?s Boar dw alk Classics Ven ice Collect ion ] Pr ice: $69.95
With every purchase, you have the opportunity to redeem points for exclusive rewards like TOMS gear, special offers, and so much more. All it takes is your name, email, and zip code! Get started right away at TOMS.com so you can reach Silver or Gold Status to earn points faster.
3.TOMS partners with like-minded brands. ?Social Entrepreneurship Fund? is just one example of a social partnership that help new enterprises start from the ground up. TOMS makes sure to look for like-minded social innovators and facilitates that make it their goal to help bring fascinating ideas to life.
4. TOMS is not a name, it?s a vision. Em m an u el (Level21 TV Execu t ive Pr odu ct ion ) TOM S?[Black Canvas Men?s Classics] Price: $51.95
Jer r y (Level21 TV Cor r espon den t ) TOM S?[Olive Green Distressed Men?s Cupsole Classics] Price: $59.95
The company?s name stands for the founders Blake Mycoskie?s vision from the beginning: ?Sell a pair of shoes today and give away a pair tomorrow?. The entire statement wouldn?t fit on a tag so he decided to shorten ?tomorrow?to TOMS.
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MODEL SPOTLIGHT/ FIONA ROSE W W W .FIFIGIRL.COM PG.49
Styled by: Laurence Logan
Creative Director: Laurence Logan
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Model: Fi Fi Wardrobe: Michael Lopez HMUA: Kimmie @kimmie_artistry Location: Camp North End
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M AKAILA
MK @SOULFLOETRY
MUSICIAN & ARTIST MAKAILA GARCIA PHO TO GRAPHY BY LAURENCE LO GAN
Th e exception al M ak ail a Gar cia r el eased h er al bu m titl ed Pion eer Expectation s in 2017. Cu r r en tl y a Social m edia star an d sin ger better k n own as sou l fl oetr y on In stagr am , wh er e h er ar tistr y an d sin gin g h as ear n ed h er over 300,000 fol l ower s. Sh e h as posted sh or t vocal r en dition s of son gs by ar tists l ik e M axwel l . Sh e is on e of NC's own , sh e th e Un iver sity of Nor th Car ol in a at Gr een sbor o an d n ow cu r r en tl y l ives in Atl an ta GA.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: MICHAEL LOPEZ 34
Nik M orales N ik Morales knows travel as well as she knows talent and has mastered her ability to blend a practical mind for business with her passion for creativity. With a spirit that has guided her success, Morales?hustle has lifted her out of her deepest trenches and established her independence. She is a trailblazer within her industry who seems to know no limits. Morales, a ?travel guru,? is the CEO of The Travel Agency LLC, a touring agency that specializes in entertainment and has worked with Kelly Rowland, JCole, Cindy Lauper, Childish Gambino, Asap Rocky, BTS and many more. She has also been recognized by Essence Magazine as one of the top 25 Female Founders to Watch. Success did not come easily to Morales though; she was a self described ?latch key kid? growing up in Inglewood, CA. ?I had a beautiful childhood, but I also had challenges,? Morales said, explaining that as the oldest child in her family, she learned to handle responsibility at an early age by helping her young mother take care of her younger siblings.
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Morales??saving grace? was her grandparents who not only had a heavy hand in raising her but set an example for what a strong work ethic could achieve. Her grandmother earned a master ?s degree at a time when women were not encouraged to pursue advanced education, however due to her being a black woman, she faced difficulty in the career field she had envisioned for herself and reconciled by becoming a teacher. She put her all into making the most of her career path and when she retired she was a principal at the top of her game.
Her grandparent?s compassion and investment in Morales?well being followed her into her adulthood at what she describes as one of her lowest points. Morales was in her 30s and had found herself in a 10 year abusive relationship, she had just lost her job working for Capital Records and she had suffered a miscarriage all in the same time frame. While she knew she was not in a healthy place she feared leaving, explaining that despite her better judgment, ?there?s always a fear of change.?
Morales ultimately made the call to reach out to her grandfather for help, and she packed her bags in secret and fled her abusive home to go live with her grandparents. While it was difficult for Morales to take such a large step backward in her career and personal life path, she learned a valuable lesson that, ?greatness is always on the other side of humility,? she said.
Despite the trauma of her situation, Morales used her time to self improve, stating, ?that 2009 summer was the best summer of my life because I got to reconnect with me.?
Soon Morales met Pat Walker, a woman in business who became a mentor to her. Morales described her as ?everything I wanted to be.? Walker was a Black female trailblazer in her industry, and she played a large role in Morales?career evolution. 38
At the time, Morales was a travel vlogger, and she attended a travel event and met The Appointment Group, a top touring agency in London, hoping to expand their brand in the United States. Morales expressed her interest in working for their newly opened LA office, and they decided to bring her onboard. She quickly found her niche, specializing in touring. Throughout her time at The Appointment Group, Morales worked with Kanye West, Rihanna, Beyonce, and Foo Fighters. She explained that finding her specialty is what made her so successful at what she does, comparing her field to the medical field; ?if you need brain surgery, you wouldn?t go to an OBGYN.?
Morales?career path seemed to be as fulfilling as possible until she coordinated Alicia?s Keys?New York City show for The Fourth of July. Morales couldn?t let the idea of moving to New York City go, so she begged The Appointment Group to let her move to New York, however they were not supportive. Morales made the executive decision to go with her gut, stating, ?I?m in control of my life. Why am I asking your permission to make a move that I cheer so loud within me to make?? Morales reached out to a close friend named Jason Allen, who let her know that, Stage and Screen, an Australlian based agency had a position open in New York City, which she ultimately secured. With about $400 in her account and and less than ideal credit, she packed her life into four suitcases and bought a one way ticket from LA to New York. To get by initially, Morales slept on a friend?s couch in her cramped New York apartment. It did not take long though for Morales to rise within her new agency, maintaining many of her previous clients, including Kelly Rowland who Morales is still grateful for her loyalty. With a book of contacts that many of her colleagues wanted access to, one of her peers asked her why she continued to work for an agency when she could run her own. ?And just like that I quit and started my own company,? she said.
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?Everyday I have to hit the ground running,? Morales said, explaining that most days she is working straight out of bed. She described her job as demanding with lots of moving parts, explaining that a lot of what she does is ?putting out fires.? ?There?s not really much room for breathing,? she said, explaining that her day can start at 6am and not end until 10pm. Despite the pressure and challenges of running her own business, Morales is passionate about what she does. ?I love supporting the artist because I feel like I understand what that space is and I kind of look at things from a different perspective than most travel agents, which I think makes me stand apart.? Morales growing up participated in the performing arts, stating that she is a singer/songwriter in another life, and this understanding of her clients gives her a unique advantage in her industry. Her mind for business is what elevates her passion, making her a titan in her industry. She explained her success to stem from, ?the ability to transition from being a creative to being in a space where I?m part of the machine which is not something a lot of people can do.?
Morales explained that staying sane under pressure is something she is still learning to do, attributing self care, such as eating healthier and taking better care of herself spiritually to have been steps in the right direction. Learning to make room for herself when she is a natural nurturer is something Morales is still practicing.
For those interested in pursuing a career like hers, Morales advises, ?focus on what it is they really want to focus on,? stating that it is also important to be patient. As long as the passion stays alive, ?be prepared to grow everyday,? she said. Now Morales is focused on following her heart around the world as she manages her business. This year, she has embarked on a 2 month remote work trip to Australia, New Zealand, Bali and Thailand. She explained, ?I move as the spirit dictates I move.? Nik Morales can be found on Instagram @thetravelgoddess and her email is nik@thetravelgoddessnik.com.
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Model: Jillian Arena Styled by Laurence Logan
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Creative Director: Eileen Khaosanga @eileenkhaos Cashmir Design Bags
www.website.com
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Photographer: Laurence Logan/The TZ Studio Creative Direction/Style: Tempestt Harris Wardrobe: (Jacket) : Alexis- August Ave./ @theaugustave Hair: AnnJae Styles & Company /@annjaestylesandco MUA: Tasha L./ @prettyforevercharlotte
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