ON THE COVER Photography: Jeffrey Gamble/ www.jeffreygamble.com Stylist: Chanda Renee & Princess Vines Asst. Stylist: Christina Pope, Miste Roule, Ashley Dalton Make-Up: Jojo Rodriguez using Mac Cosmetics Hair Stylist: Janel Sealy-Smith for Cocoamane Clothing: Jacket - Hernan Lander, Jeans - Supertrash, Boots - Kelsi Dagger Earrings & Ring: Melody Ehsani
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FEEDBACK Pratt, MD “ I’m feeling this magazine. Ya’ll should include horoscopes in your magazine, lesbian entertainers from all over….Although I am impressed!……….In the next two years, ya’ll should be one of the hottest mags out. Just get some star interviews!!”
IKONS Magazine Volume I, Issue III Erica, PA “I must say I really enjoyed the first issue and cannot wait to read the second. I was I sitting out in the yard trying to study…..but everybody keep bothering me about my magazine with the two butches on the front. Even the guards, lol! I sent word over to the next jail along with the address so everybody can purchase a copy. I think a pen pal program will be great! Due to the fact that it helps you a lot in a place like this and gives people something to look forward to. Let me know how I can help even in the smallest way.”
LaToya, IL “Wow, I just received my first two issues of IKONS Magazine and the both of them were sooooo hot!! I have spread the word of IKONS Magazine and a few of my peoples will get it real soon. So be on the look out……..I want to be apart of this historic moment that is taking place and also want to be put on the team [to] become a member of IKONS Street Family. I support IKONS Magazine 100%.“
Glenda. MD “Word is being spread around about IKONS Magazine throughout the penitenary here…Hey I am busting with excitement to get on board [because] one thing is for certain and six more for sure, this is FUBU (For Us By US)…I am [out of] here so please rush me my copy.”
Izaya, NY “I’m writing because I just finished reviewing an issue of IKONS Magazine. First and foremost I would like to congratulate ya’ll for ya’ll success and for putting our community on the map in a positive way. There is some much to say but I don’t want to over do it….I have a lot of respect for ya’ll. On my end I will try to help anyway that I can. Right now I am spreading the word
Dennis, Buffalo, NY “That article between friends was deep! Excellent magazine! “ Alexis, IL “I have been a lesbian for 11 years and I love the idea of IKONS Magazine.”
Pratt, MD “I’m feeling this magazine. Ya’ll should include horoscopes in your magazine, lesbian entertainers from all over...although I am impressed! In the next two years, ya’ll should be one of the hottest mags out. Just get some celebrity interviews.”
Send any questions & comments to: IKONS Magazine P.O. Box 521087 NY, NY 10452
TWEETBACK Follow us @IKONS_Magazine @ corazon_boricua I love the magazine, it’s so relevant! Can’t wait for the next issue :) @simplii3m3: Congrats to @ IKONS_Magazine the new issue cover is sexy!! @15outta15: follow @IKONS_ Magazine...the magazine is great! I love it! @@bklynboihood: @IKONS_Magazine thanks man! Y’all are doing ur thang btw! Folks are buzzing:) @SHADYP #SHOUTOUT TO @ IKONS_MAGAZINE THE NEW MAG HITTING THE STANDS SHADY TOLD YOU IKONS WAS DA TRUTH. @SbSaM0890: @IKONS_Magazine I can’t believe you got @ DawnRichard on the cover! She’s my idol she’s such a positive person. @_MEifYUcan_ #shoutout to @ IKONS_Magazine they doin they thang just watched the behind the scenes video of Dawn Richard photoshoot @SinfullyGrinch: I f@@kin looooooooove the new @IKONS_ Magazine cover...I am soooo proud of everything this magazine is becoming!!!!
How you feel? Whether you love us or hate us..... TWEETDAT & TWEETBACK!!!
ENTERTAINMENT
Entertainment at a Glance
Alicia Keys & Swizz Beats
By: Ardranae Byer
We cannot speak for all of you, but we had an awesome Twenty-Ten. We dropped three issues in less than one year, got national distribution and even made a few enemies. What-a-YEAR!!! However, we wasn’t the only ones making major moves in 2010. Let’s take a scroll down memory lane and see who else made shocking news this year.
On Wednesday, August 4, 2010, a federal judge ruled that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional under the U.S. Constitution and barred its enforcement. Before it was declared null and void by the federal courts, created a new amendment to the California Constitution which said, “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California”. The fight still continues for equality for the LGBTQ Community.
NICKI MINAJ
It seems like I wasn’t the only one crying over these two. Not tears of joy, more like tears of pain and acceptance that Alicia will never be mine. Although I didn’t see this one coming, I am happy if she is happy. Well, not really!!! But it’s a nice thing to say at a wedding.
Do we really need to comment about this? But was it really a shocker? Did Team Blackout really have a chance against lil brother Diggy Simmons? Not so much!!! Sorry big bro, I think maybe you should pick up some engineering skills and produce beats for your little brother who is about to change the game. I’m just saying..............
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Performs at Atlanta Black Pride for the 1st time in her musical career. Meanwhile
THE BOSS TAKES SOME TIME OFF
CU YU M RP! ’M ER E!
Queen Latifah & Girlfriend
HEY TRIGGA TREY, WE HEARD YOU WERE GAY..............ARE YOU?
“I SAVED HIP HOP AND YOU KNOW IT!! DRIZZY!!” US, sold 741,000 in first week
US, sold 447,000 in first week
E SUR U T E YO THA “AR OUT ?” AB RIZZY D
UMMM, THIS ONE SAYS IT ALL, SO WE’RE JUST GOING STFU!!!
Nobody said being a star would be easy. police reports, the American Idol winswallowed a bottle of perscription pills. or her leeching family? Only she knows the strength to battle her demons.
Lil Wayne
“Money ain’t a thing” apparently was what the judge was signing when he sentenced Lil’ Wayne to a year behind bars for a gun charge. This year was a great year for rappers and bars. We’re not talking about those counting ryhmes either. Rappers have spent more time in jail than on stage in 2010. From T.I. to Gucci Man, these millionaries chose concrete walls instead of lavish marble floors.
Fantasia had to learn that the hard way. According to ner had been pushed to the edge and allegedly Could the cause be Antwaun Cook, album sales the real reason, we just pray Fantasia can find
Souja Boy & Kat Stacks Kat Stacks got the Rap Game on lock; she’s airing out these rappersdirty laundry out more than Gain! Seems like her latest victim “Souja Boy” has received the worst treatment thus far. Recorded phones conversations and the alleged tray of coke in his hotel room. The government caught the Russian spy lady, why haven’t no one caught Kat Stacks? I’m just sayin….
www.ikonsmagazine.com
BEHIND THE SCENES IKONS Magazine Cover Shoot with Dawn Richards of Dirty Money
For those of you who knows IKONS and have supported our last two issues, you may know how important landing a cover with a platinum recording artist has to be for us. Upon arrival Dawn kept us in the loop about her delay due to New York City morning Rush Hour traffic. Nothing ever goes according to plan, however this cover shoot went smoother than a baby’s bottom. Dawn was in good spirits that quickly spread throughout the studio. Her companion Que, member of Day 26 supported his woman through her first cover shoot with an alternative lifestyle publication.
THE LOOK “The theme behind our cover story is “Androgynous Urban Glam”. I chose this theme because our cover model is a ‘Bad Girl’ with an edge, so why not turn it up a notch for IKONS Magazine? Also this Fall, the trend is menswear so that played a factor as well. I wanted a Hip-Hop, hood look wth a glam twist.” -Princess ‘PStylez’ Vines, Creative Director
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W WORDS OF A TRUE HUSTLER FROM ONE GRIND TO ANOTHER
Minute after minute, day by day the clock ticks to get this issue to the printers. All I have to do is write this little insert right here and everything will be all right. However, I have stared at this screen with a blank expression on my face for weeks now. Why don’t I have something to say? Why is it so hard for me to get this out? The truth is, I really don’t know. When we first sat down and decided what this issue was going to be about, we seemed to have everything planned out to a ‘T’. We picked the features, made the calls and emails and here is the grand finale. If you flip through our pages you will notice some differences. You can literally see how we have evolved since our Premiere issue. Some of you may frown upon our growth and some of you may see the vision as we do. I have learned at a young age that you cannot please everyone, so we don’t. This business has changed me. I am much wiser and know exactly what I want for my brand and my community. I will not settle for anything less than great. Hey, this is my baby, so what do you expect? As I sit back and think about our year, I must admit twenty-ten was not a bad year after all. We finally got our Black President, Prop 8 was ruled “UNCONSTITUTIONAL” by a federal judge, South Africa hosted 2010 FIFA World Cup, and Linday Lohan finally went to rehab. (Laughs) Hey, I was rooting for her detox, she is a very talented young lady that got lost along the way. We also had a terrific year as well. IKONS was the official media sponsor for ‘Peach Fever’ in Atlanta, gained national distribution, sat on newsstands next to great magazines like, Essence, Vibe, The Source and Complex just to name a few. That is a great accomplishment because they did not discriminate and place us in the ‘adult’ or ‘gay’ section. They viewed us as a women’s lifestyle magazine and that was a goal accomplished. We have launched our magazine site, www.ikonsmagazine.com, and landed a dope ass celebrity on the cover of our Fall/Winter issue. I can go on, but who likes to gloat.
Photo By: Jeffrey Gamble / www.jeffrey Gamble.com
IT’S ISSUE THREE!! And it’s a celebration!! IKONS Magazine is less than one year old and we have accomplished so much in such a little amount of time. So we wanted to throw a party but not in the physical. Each page you turn is a celebration of Life.Women & Culture. We will not back ourselves into a corner or stay in one lane. In order to achieve the level of success sort for our community, you will notice MAJOR changes with IKONS Magazine, but we promise to keep our mission in plain view. To end the year off right, IKONS Magazine wanted to make an impact. We searched our mental Rolodex for someone that embodies everything IKONS is about. Strength, perseverance, a role model and an IKON and we could only come up with one answer - Dawn Richard. We watched Dawn chase her dreams in some of the worst conditions anyone can be placed in. She let the World come into her life while she tried to make a better life for herself and her family. Through it all she remained focused on the DREAM and that is what IKONS is all about. Staying focused on the DREAM. I’m a DREAMER, always and forever. What are you?
CHANGE
“to become different; a transformation or modification; alteration; different from what it is or from what it would be”
Ardranae ‘Data’ Byer
Publisher & Founder @DataDaDREAM
www.ikonsmagazine.com
FEATURES
POOKZ
Interviewed & Written By: Yasheda Whitaker-Skipper
Photography: Taj Washington
Pookz was shortend for “Pookie”. In highschool one of my basketball teammates was convinced I looked like a “Pookie”, so the whole team started calling me that. So it grew on me. When I graduated a close friend of mine started calling me Pookz. It’s been stuck with me ever since.
Why the name Studology? (DZ) Lets take it back to 2008, one hot summer day bored in the crib. We were like “Okay..YouTube. Why don’t we post a video and thought what should we call it?
Why the move to ATL? (Pookz) We had to move to ATL for bigger opportunities. The LGBT scene in Dallas isnt as organized as it is over here. So it works better for us. Hopefully in the future we will be able to organize Dallas the way Atlanta is.
(Pookz) I thought we should give it a classroom set. I figured since we’re studs, lets call it Studology 101.
(DZ) When we went to Pride, we were like whaaattt they have everything out here! More networking, more opportunities, this is where its at.
(DZ) We were like YYEEEAAAHHHH STUDOLOGYYYYYY!!.. HAHAHA!
Tell us more about the WE ALL WE GOT movement?
(Pookz) That name on YouTube was taken, so we changed it to StudzLife 101. But our overall the company is Studology 101. What has been the hardest part of your journey thus far? The hardest part of our journey was our mental battles. Being able to clear our mind from all negativity. Now we are unstoppable.
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(Pookz) The We All We Got movement is designed to promote and recognize LGBT talent. Not necessarily just singing and rapping, but you can be a dancer or a football player [eventually] you [will] need exposure [and] we’re here to do that. Everybody is trying to do something, so sometimes it’s like, [people ask] “well, why didn’t you pick me?” But we really have to pick and choose to make sure its legit (management) because we don’t want negativity. Its not what we stand for.
DZ DZ was a nickname given to me in high school. The dudes always thought I was cool cuz the females were on me. As soon as I walked in class they would be like whuddup DZ
Photography: Taj Washington
Photography: Taj Washington
ZD
What does your brand bring to the LGBTQ community that has not already been accomplished? “Studology 101 is something that has never been done before. We are two studs who give our perspective of the LGBT lifestyle. We have created a movement called “We All We Got” that has helped with uniting our LGBT community as one; along with promoting LGBT Talents. This is very relevant, being that our world has mostly turned into hate and discrimination.”
(DZ) Right now we’re doing what we can for the people. As we mature and get further into our career, we can definitely help more people. All we need right now is for people to support the We All We Got movement. The LGBT community has to stick together. If we don’t, we’ll crumble. Everyone has to support each other. Tell us more about your dancing DZ? Ive been dancing since I can remember. I never took it seriously until I was 13 or 14 years old. I started actually going to the studio and taking classes. I did talent shows all the time. Since Studology I put my full focus towards that. I LOVE dancing, but I don’t think I’ll take it to the next level, unless somebody says Yo I need you in my video!
www.ikonsmagazine.com
FEATURES
GET REAL With Ruthie Alcaide Former cast member on MTV’S ‘The Real World’
Growing up before the times of “Will and Grace”, Being the middle child of one plus a deuce, and traveling to 11 countries and 45 states, this MTV reality star rocks the streets of LA with her downto-earth tone. In 1999 she was an addition to the spice on The Real World: Hawaii. Now this Pilipino - Samoan, Ruthie Alcaide, has paved her way into the “mainland” to offer what is more to her than just Hawaii’s night-lifer, But a veteran in the game who loves to “inspire people everyday just by being myself.” No shy gal when it comes to being versatile. While cultural differences are amongst us, Ruthie has open arms, with all seven ethnicities ready to break the bind of stereotypes and love diversity!
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D The Break of
DAWN
Interviewed By: Dyandra Brown & Glennisha Morgan Written By: Ardranae Byer & Glennisha Morgan
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Photography: Jeffrey Gamble/www.jeffreygamble. com Stylist: Chanda Renee & Princess Vines Asst. Stylist: Christina Pope, Miste Roule, Ashley Dalton Make-Up: Jojo Rodriguez using Mac Cosmetics Hair Stylist: Janel Sealy-Smith for Cocoamane Clothing: Vest, Leather Jacket & Pants - Gestuz, Tank - Princess of the Posse, Cap - New Era, Boots - Jeffrey Campbell Earrings & Ring: Melody Ehsani
Cover Story
www.ikonsmagazine.com
FASHION
TRUTH OR DARE IKONS, caught up with socialite Chanel Prada and dared her to bring out her alter ego....TRUTH, This Fall It’sAll About Detail & Textures......in an old game that we all love. See how it plays out. Photographed By: Kevin Peguero Story By: “PStylez” Styled By: Miste Roule` of Millenium Style Inc. Edited By: Ryan O. Nash
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Photography: Kevin Peguero Stylist: Miste Roule Asst: Trina Harvin Clothing: Dress - Dominique Auxilly Shoes: Created by Fortune Tights: Strawberry Earrings, Necklace, Ring: Danika www.ikonsmagazine.com Bracelet: Created by Fortune Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters
Textured pieces give Alluring looks
OPPOSITE PAGE: Clothing: Cardigan, Sweater, Shirt, Bowtie - BDG Urban Outfitters.com Jeans: Levi Shoes: Steve Madden Hat: 1773, Suspenders - UrbanOutfitters.com Clothing: Dress - Dominique Auxilly Shoes: Steve Madden Belt, Stockings: Stylist Own Bracelet: Created by Fortune Ring, Necklace: Laruicci
Detail pieces adds Flare & Style
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FEATURES
Atlanta bred female emcee, Rasheeda has been heating up the streets for over a decade giving us a taste of the Dirty South and letting us know that she’s a Certified Hot Chick. Back in 1998 she started her music career in the teenage Hip Hop trio, Da Kaperz. Like Beyonce and Destiny’s Child with many music groups there is always one particular artist that stands out the most. Rasheeda, being that one, out-shined her group members and was offered a solo record deal with the independent record label, D-Lo Entertainment. Immediately following her new record deal Rasheeda dropped her first album, Dirty South. With the success of her first single, “Do It” Rasheeda went on to make more hot records and collaborate with several artists such as Jazze Pha, Petey Pablo, Nivea, DJ Drama, and more. After her second album she took a brief hiatus but, that didn’t make Rasheeda stagnant. Being the boss that she is she bounced back and gave us a taste of a true, GA Peach.
Underground queen
Rasheeda Crosses over To Mainstream By: Glennisha morgan
24%
GET THE 13% FACTS
The National Survey of Family Growth found that, 24 percent of lesbian and bisexual women between the ages of 18-44 are living in poverty in contrast to only 19 percent of heterosexual women. Yet NSFG data shows that gay and heterosexual men have relatively equal poverty rates: fifteen and 13 percent, respectively.
FOUR
19%
Gay and lesbian parents are raising four percent of all adopted children in the United States
Source: www.adoption.about.com
Source: www.americanprogress.org
3
25%
Three out of Forbes 400 Richest Americans are gay Source: http://blogs.forward.com/the-shmooze/131574/
25 percent of teenagers are thrown out of their homes when they “come out” to family members Source: www.righttoliveaz.tripod.com
THIRTEEN
There are currently thirteen states, as well as the District of Columbia, that have enacted policies to protect against gender identity and sexual orientation discrimination in employment. Seven states, meanwhile, have laws that prohibit employment discrimination solely based on sexual orientation. In thirty states, LGBT citizens can be fired on the basis of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity without any legal recourse.
Source: www.gayrights.change.org
Twenty-four countries [not including the U.S.] currently allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, according to the Service Members Legal Defense Network. Of these twenty-four countries, twenty-two are part of coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan – meaning that openly gay and lesbian soldiers from Allied Forces are serving alongside U.S. troops, despite the continued U.S. ban. In July, more than 50 retired U.S. Generals and Admirals released a statement calling on the U.S. Congress to repeal the ban on openly gay and lesbian soldiers serving in the military, the largest number of military officials calling for a ban to date. To date, the U.S. has discharged over 11,000 service members for being gay or lesbian.
Gay and bisexual men make up roughly 2% of the US population, but we account for 53% of new HIV infections.
2% / 53% www.ikonsmagazine.com
Source: www.whitehouse.gov
11,000
Source: www.gayrights.change.org
PRIDE SEASON Atlanta Black Pride
Atlanta Black Pride ‘Peach Fever’ Atlanta Black Pride Goapele Concert
‘Peach Fever’
URBAN SOCIALITES
Atlanta Black Pride
‘Peach Fever’ Atlanta Black Pride Goapele Concert
Atlanta Black Pride
Atlanta Black Pride
Jazmine Sullivan at Atlanta Black Pride
Atlanta Black Pride
72 | The Holiday Issue | IKONS Atlanta Black Pride
‘Peach Fever’ Atlanta Black Pride Goapele Concert
Atlanta Black Pride
Atlanta Black Pride
‘Peach Fever’ Atlanta Black Pride Goapele Concert
Youth Unity Ball
Atlanta Black Pride Atlanta Black Pride
Cast Members of Lovers n Friends Atlanta Black Pride
Youth Unity Ball
Atlanta Black Pride
NY, DC, ATL, PA, NC & GA
Cover Story
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Cover Story
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