Speaking Your Truth To Be Heard...

“I am fine,” “I am good,” “All is well.’ It is easy to utter these phrases. A redundant response to those questions you are consistently asked. Deep down you scream “NO” but cannot bring yourself to say it; so you curl up into a ball in a corner within your soul and spirit; and as you smile on the outside, the stream of tears flow on the inside or when you have a time alone to yourself. You wonder what is wrong with you and why anyone cannot see that you are not ok. You go out of your way to appease others to make them happy yet they in turn are quick to lose themselves to their selfishness and turn their backs not uttering a word to you even to say hello or to see how you are faring. To be someone you thought people wanted instead of what was the true you because it is so important to you to be seen as the friend, son, daughter, girlfriend, friend and everything else in between. Thus, you lose your identity to accommodate others all in the name of being good and the cycle continues until it finally dawns on you – if it does, that it is time to STOP!! Having a clearer idea and focus of who you are and making sure that those around you respect that – you are somebody!! A difficult transition but a necessary realization that you are not and will not be a foot stool. Oh, the conversations to be had with yourself and others about this new found Truth about you. For those who love and respect you will respond to your new Truth accordingly and positively. For those who refuse to accept this new transformation…there is the door!! A lot of work to be done but a necessary speech to yourself that must be had. Speak your Truth to be Heard and the rest they say will fall into place for the highest good!

Here we are with ASM Issue 11! Titled Speaking for the Unspoken For, we try to bring to light issues that need to be read. From our interview with Supermodel turned activist Waris Dirie on her quest to eradicate the Genital Mutilation on females in parts of Africa and around the globe to highlighting the atrocious killings of Albinos in Tanzania. An exciting interview with iconic music group Ladysmith Black Mambazo speaking about the formation and journey of a music group that helped give voice to the voiceless and helped change the course of the great country of South Africa. the In our AfroCouture spread, we cover Rad Hourani and amazing unisex fashion designer; and our fashion editor Khanyi writes on her trip to her country South Africa and her fashion favorites in our Fashion Forward segment. Creative director Jason Maddox interviews Natalie Byfield on the state of the black male in the eyes of the media and society; we celebrate the beauty of The Woman Bald in our AfroBeauty article. Enjoy our fashion spreads AfroModa, AfroStreet from France, AfroTraditional from South Africa as well as our feature spreads from Thailand and India. We thank our contributors to this new issue of ASM and to you the readers for your continued support. Drop us an email at info@afrostylemag.com and let us know how AfroStyle Magazine can be of service to you and the community.

Enjoy the Eleventh issue of AfroStyle Magazine.

Amaka N. Onyioha
Editor-In-Chief