As if you needed reminding, breaking into magazines is tough, but doing it as a minority applicant can be even tougher.
“People still believe that blacks don’t read magazines, as evidenced by who’s on magazine covers,” says Wendy Wilson, a staff writer at Essence. “Editors and hiring managers need to realize that there are more minorities who are highly educated and have the experience and the pedigree needed to get the job done.”
Shani Parrish, a 13-year mag vet and Director of Digital Content at Latina, agrees that minority candidates tend to be overlooked for jobs. “Very few people of color are listed in mastheads, and it’s no coincidence. Editors aren’t used to working with people of color, and there may be racism at play [when deciding whom to hire],” says Parrish. The result? Homogeneous staffs and magazines that don’t appeal to diverse audiences.
But diversifying staffs may help mainstream magazines reach broader audiences, says Tara Roberts, Senior Editor at CosmoGIRL!. “It’s important for people of color to become part of mainstream publications. If you have a diverse staff, then that diversity will show up in your editorial, from the people you quote to the people you choose for photo shoots,” she says.
Since diversifying has been slow-going, the need for titles that address underrepresented audiences arose, says Parrish. In fact, there are now over 100 ethnic magazines and e-zines published in the U.S., ranging from general lifestyle titles like Vibe and People En Español to niche ones like Black Enterprise and Asian American Golf.
Danica Daniel, Editor-in-Chief of teen urban magazines Black Beat and Right On!, says working there isn’t different than working for any other niche publication. “We do everything that Seventeen does; we’re just more likely to put Gabrielle Union on the cover than Lindsay Lohan,” Daniel says.
So how can you make becoming a magazine editor easier on yourself?
Join professional organizations such as the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and the Asian American Journalist Association. Charli Penn, Online Managing Editor at The Knot, joined the NABJ while attending the historically black Spelman College in Atlanta. The organization’s conventions offered relaxed atmospheres, says Penn, and they were conducive to connecting with editors. Cynthia Wang, an L.A.-based assistant editor at People and treasurer for the AAJA, says seeing minorities in high profile positions can be encouraging. These organizations can expose you to those inspiring, upper-level editors.
Find a mentor. “Contact alumni to say, ‘I just graduated and you are where I want to be,’” says Daniel. Then, ask them if they’d be willing to meet you for lunch, coffee, whatever, and pick their brain on how they got where they are. If you hit it off, you’ll benefit. “Most interviews I went on came from leads my mentors gave me, not job postings,” says Penn. “Plus, you can run ideas by your mentors.”
Address stereotypes. “Unfortunately, if you’re a minority, people are going to assume that your race is your specialty,” says Daniel. “It’s your responsibility to show people your knowledge and talent is diverse.”
Hone your craft. Choose an area of interest and gain clips based on that interest to break into a niche magazine. “Start in college-write stories on your favorite topic for your school paper and magazine,” says Parrish. Then, pitch magazines as a freelance writer. “Target the smaller sections, and if you are pitching once a month, the editor will take note of your persistence,” Wang advises.
Don’t take things personally. “This industry is not for the meek. You have to be passionate about it or you won’t make it,” says Wilson. “I had an editor tell me that my master’s degree didn’t matter. It hurt, but I went back and pitched even more and worked even harder. Just show them that you can do it.”
-Yelena Shuster, Ed Reporter
