MELAA MAG

The creative industry often overlooks the voices of Black women and non-binary creatives, especially those navigating the scene from non-traditional or marginalised backgrounds. Despite their influence in the creative industry, these communities are often underrepresented. The challenge was to build a platform and community that both documents and honours this expression, while also addressing broader systemic barriers to visibility and access.

To design and produce a magazine that not only showcases Black creatives across disciplines but also explores identity, resistance, and joy through a carefully curated visual and editorial narrative. The aim was to amplify real voices, challenge industry norms, and create a physical piece that reflects both community and innovation — combining creative direction, editorial design, and storytelling rooted in lived experience.

MELAA is a 44-page magazine blending studio and location shoots, personal interviews, and reflective essays that celebrate Black creative culture. From editorial design to art direction, every section was intentionally curated to share and amplify the voices of Black female creatives.

The magazine served as both my Final Major Project at university and a blueprint for what inclusive, disruptive print media can look like. It brought together my skills in creativity, art direction, photography, research, strategy, and ethics — allowing me to lead a multidisciplinary project that combines personal narratives with creative storytelling.

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