Founder & Publisher, Monarch Magazine
Will Walters understands the need for more positive portrayals of African Americans in mainstream media. The founder and publisher of Monarch Magazine, Walters created a publication to celebrate the black professional, while bridging the generation gaps that divide the country as a whole.
Walters began his foray into publishing back in 2003 as the founder of the Renaissance Media Group, which won him significant local readership in his home state of Ohio. Monarch magazine features articles on lifestyle, business, fashion and other topics and how they affect people of color. The publication also celebrates the movers and shakers in these respective industries.
“Media thus far has portrayed us and put us in a category of just … being hip-hop oriented and only caring about what’s going on within hip-hop,” Walters says. “I want Monarch to add into showcasing how truly diverse African Americans are.”
Although the magazine is in the incubator stage, Monarch is poised to handle the challenges brought on by a depressed economy and decreasing ad revenue. “I think any businessmen whether they’re in media or not, should be constantly thinking of new ways to expand their brand [and] new ways to relate to their customers — that’s the only way you’re going to be able to survive,” he says.
According to Walters, Monarch pledges to show diversity in African Americans that will prove beneficial in the long-run. “We seem to not be able embrace Spike Lee and Tyler Perry all at the same time, and I think that’s a problem. … hopefully Monarch can aid in solving that problem,” he says. “We should be able to not put down one another — we should be able to embrace [our uniqueness].”
–gavin philip godfrey
For more information please visit, www.monarchmagazine.com
