Gal-dem's Guardian Weekend takeover exclusively features, and is created by, women and non-binary people of colour

Date
10 August 2018

Written and created exclusively by women and non-binary people of colour, Gal-dem is an online platform, community and print magazine which strives to forge a space for those currently underrepresented in the media. Since its inception in 2015, the collective has stuck to its mission, producing engaging and critical content, offering an important and long-overdue platform. As of this weekend, Gal-dem’s remit is taking a big step up as it takes over the Guardian’s Weekend magazine.

“Ruth Lewy, the deputy editor of the Guardian reached out of over email and asked if we’d be interested in collaborating,” explains Gal-dem’s deputy editor Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, “I replied saying ’Gal-dem Weekend takeover haha’, not thinking it would actually happen.” When Charlie and Liv Little (editor of Gal-dem) met with Ruth and Melissa Denes – editor of Weekend – however, “it seemed a natural fit”.

Gal-dem’s takeover, true to the collective’s ethos, will only feature content created by women and non-binary people of colour including Chewing Gum lead Michaela Coel, vlogger Dina Tokio, author Chidera Eggerue and politician Diana Abbott. “Michaela Coel is on the cover looking bald and beautiful! Such a coup as we’ve wanted to work with her for years and Liv (and the rest of the team) is obsessed with her work,” Charlie tells us. The issue also showcases features on Beyoncé and the DNA testing industry.

The issue was produced collaboratively, Charlie explains: “[there was] lots of back and forth with pitches and discussions on writers, illustrators and photographers. Some people included in the magazine are part of our core team, in other cases, this will be the first time we have worked with them.”

A momentous occasion, the takeover marks the first time – if not one of a handful of times – that a national supplement has been produced in this way. “It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to bring the voices of women of colour and non-binary people of colour to a wider audience, and one I think we deserve,” Charlie concludes.

Pick up the Guardian this Saturday (11 August) to get your copy of Gal-dem’s Weekend takeover.

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Gal-dem Guardian Weekend takeover

Above

Gal-dem Guardian Weekend takeover

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About the Author

Ruby Boddington

Ruby joined the It’s Nice That team as an editorial assistant in September 2017 after graduating from the Graphic Communication Design course at Central Saint Martins. In April 2018, she became a staff writer and in August 2019, she was made associate editor.

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