Enterprising Teenage Muslim Girl Successfully Launches New Magazine
Yasmine El-Safy, a 13-year old Muslim girl and budding entrepreneur, hopes to become a media potentate by launching a magazine titled mg aimed at English-speaking Muslim girls worldwide. The magazine, “by Muslim girls, for Muslim girls,” has garnered the interest of Muslim girls nationwide and as far away as the U.K. Young Ms. El-Safy has attracted teen writers and support staff, and has already started building a solid base of subscribers, both Muslim and non-Muslim, many of whom are hungry for information on a segment of the population most Americans know little about. There are an estimated 7 million Muslims in the U.S., a sizeable potential market.
(PRWEB) February 11, 2005 -- Yasmine started mg, a quarterly magazine, as a
clear-headed alternative to mainstream teen girls’ magazines focused on dating
and appearance. “I wanted to have a magazine for intelligent muslim teen girls
to inspire them and encourage positive attitudes,” she beams. The premier issue
debuted last November during Eid ul-Fitr, the 3-day Islamic celebration marking
the end of the Ramadan month of fasting. The second issue of mg is due to
publish February 15.
Taking cues from her role models in the business
world, Yasmine publishes the magazine herself. With minimal assistance from her
parents, American mother Lyla and Egyptian father Ragab, this homeschooled teen
contacts and negotiates rates with advertisers, designs ads, negotiates with
printing companies, takes digital photos for the cover, designs and maintains
the website, and handles distribution. “After the first issue came out, girls
got really excited and I got a lot more help. I think it’s because they could
see what they were contributing to.” A new volunteer support staff of girls will
help maintain the website and help with editing and layout going
forward.
She aims to help Muslim girls build self-esteem through making
sound decisions and taking pride in their Muslim identity. The magazine features
articles, short stories, essays, poetry, fashion, quizzes, interviews with
prominent Muslim women who are making a positive impact and more. Article topics
in the forthcoming Spring issue include:
- 27 Ways To Feel Good and Be
Confident!
- 101 Things To Do This Spring
- Minimize Clutter
- Modesty:
the Key in a Muslimah’s Lifestyle Finding My Way Through University
- Whales
vs. Wal*Mart (on business’ impact on the environment)
With a variety of
interests from environmental activism and volunteering to encouraging dialogue
between Muslims and non-Muslims, Yasmine seeks to fill a void in the publishing
world, so that Muslim girls can see strong, vibrant and positive images of
themselves in a media world that so often portrays Muslim girls as oppressed
victims. Yasmine hopes to continue the magazine as an adult, and envisions a
future as head of her own publishing company. With such a strong start and
bright visions, Rupert Murdoch, look out!
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/2/prweb207762.htm