Magazine makes long ‘Journey’ on first issue

Although there has been some re-arranging of the date for the debut issue, the first issue of Journey magazine will be available soon.

The “issues” that plagued the magazine’s production have proven to be a small setback. After two and a half weeks at the printers, Journey will be released at the end of next week. Because it’s difficult to determine an exact date at this time, readers are advised to keep an eye out for it.

The award-winning magazine is completely student-run and funded.

“Everything we do is produced in house,” said Editor in Chief Adrian Parker, 22, a senior public relations student from Fort Worth, Texas . “It’s hard when you have a staff of like 10 to 15 people who have classes and other jobs. We’re putting together a 24-page magazine all from scratch.”

Other problems with this student-run publication arose during production. Depending on students to finish the job once started is one of them.

“For the first issue, we assigned, like, 50 to 60 articles. All of those didn’t come back. We have, like, a 20 percent return on the articles,” Parker said.

Another setback this year’s staff has encountered is layout.

Art director Kamilah Powell, 22, a senior graphic arts student from Sebring said some of the pictures were not satisfactory and proofs of the entire magazine had to be sent back to the printer.

“Because some of our pictures had the wrong resolution we had to redo all of our pictures,” Powell said.

Despite the many obstacles on the road to success, Gerald Grow, magazine production professor and adviser to Journey, said he has faith in the staff to produce another award-winning magazine.

“They’re a hard working, exuberant, out-going, creative group,” Grow said. “I think they’ve done a wonderful job on [this issue], from what I’ve been able to see so far.”

Under new leadership, the look and feel of Journey may be unfamiliar to readers.

Despite changes, Parker promises this issue will be “worth the wait, cause it’s going to be a banger.”

He has implemented sections for the issues this year.

Those sections include FAMU Matters, a compilation of campus activities; Mind, Body and Soul, which deals with health and relationships; Dollars and Sense includes articles about money management; Arts and Entertainment and Features and Lifestyles encompasses fashion stories.

“We recognize that there’s 12,000 students on FAMU’s campus and every story is not going to be interesting to every person,” Parker said. “But we hope every issue can offer something to every person.”

The staff attempts to include everyone’s interests in this issue. The articles “run the gamut,” Parker said.

The magazine provides a variety by having stories about fashion, homelessness, HIV and why African Americans are not being tested, the positive aspects of sex and a tribute to Aaliyah.

Journey is a way for students of [FAMU] to take a journey of their own. A journey past the bounds of their own thoughts and reach out and think of things that you probably hadn’t thought about before.

“All we want to do is raise an eyebrow, get a laugh, get a reaction from people, get them to live outside of themselves. That’s what taking a journey is all about.”