Native Youth Magazine L.L.C. - THE Online Magazine for Native Youth

Written by Mary Kim Titla

Friday, 10 March 2006

NATIVE YOUTH MAGAZINE.COM – THE STORY

Native Youth Magazine.com, a year-old e-magazine that focuses on the talents and lifestyles of Native youth in the U.S. and Canada, has won three awards including a 1st Place Award for Best Website from the Native American Journalists Association among Native American websites, a 1st Place Award for Website Creation/Development from the Arizona Press Women’s Association and 3rd Place from the National Press Women’s Association in the same category among mainstream websites.

“I’m very proud of all the young people who have helped shaped this website. We’ve worked very hard together to produce a website Native youth can be proud of and one adults can use as a resource. Our numbers confirm people care about our young people and want to read about the good things they are doing,” said Mary Kim Titla, Publisher and San Carlos Apache tribal member.

NYM, created July 1, 2005, is now averaging more than 1100 visits a day. The e-magazine now includes audio and video streaming.The website features commentaries, profiles, headlines, photos and artwork submitted by Native youth. “This is an opportunity for Native youth to not only tell their own stories but it also allows them to explore the world of journalism,” added Titla.

NYM now has a new look. “’Chris Allen, Navajo, is a talented young Native website creator who came up with a new design after he solicited ideas from other Native youths. We simply outgrew our old site. The new site will offer more topics as well as sections for elders and adults who can share their words of wisdom and encouragement. We will also offer podcasting and blogging. It’s exciting to see it grow,” said Titla.

Much of the material posted on the website come from one-time and regular contributors. The website also includes general Native news. “Native youth are interested in news about Indian country,” said Titla.“This is a labor of love for my husband and I,” said Titla, who is paying for the business venture out-of-pocket. Titla and John Mosley, her husband and business partner, are now trying to focus their efforts on developing the bigger vision – a print magazine and a Native Youth Magazine TV show.

“It’s taking on a life of its own. We are responding to a need and a demand from Native youth for information through all mediums. Our young people are like sponges, they want to see, hear and read about what their peers are doing in Indian country,” said Titla. You can contact Mary Kim Titla at marykim@nativeyouthmagazine.com.

Posted August 2006

What A Year It’s Been!

It’s hard to believe a whole year has gone by. As many of you know, Native Youth Magazine.com (NYM) went from dream to reality on July 1, 2005. I no longer have to think about what I’m going to say to people who ask what NYM is all about. I’ve spent so much time talking to people and doing interviews from coast to coast, the words now automatically flow from my mouth.

“Native Youth Magazine showcases the talents and lifestyles of Native youth. It also gives them an opportunity to tell their own stories. It’s a positive place for our young people to go to but it’s not just for Native youth. It’s for anyone who cares about Native youth. We want the world to know our young Native people are alive and well and they’re having healthy fun!”

During the last 12 months a lot of time and effort was spent promoting the e-magazine and creating a buzz about the big vision – a print magazine and would you believe I’m entertaining a proposal for a TV show! Wow. And to think the original vision was just a website.

We’re moving forward slowly and for good reason. It’s a big dream! It’s going to take a lot of work to make it all happen. Someone once told me the more you talk about it, the more likely it’s going to become a reality. I’m doing plenty of talking that’s for sure. Here’s what’s happened in during the last 12 months.

•    Continued readership growth
•    Logo change
•    New header
•    Creation of an online store
•    Audio and video streaming
•    RSS Feed
•    Other added functions
•    First Place Award for Web Creation/Development (Arizona Press Women’s Association)
•    Support and partnerships with North American Indigenous Games, Nike, United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. and others

Here are some of the events we’ve covered and communities we’ve visited:

•    UNITY conference, San Diego, CA
•    Native American Basketball Invitational, Phoenix, AZ
•    Santa Fe Indian Market, New Mexico
•    Visit to Ft. Yukon, Alaska
•    White Mountain Apache Tribal Fair, Arizona
•    Navajo Nation Fair, Arizona
•    National Indian Education Association Convention, Denver, CO
•    Tulsa Powwow, Oklahoma
•    National Congress of American Indians Convention, Tulsa, OK
•    San Carlos Apache Tribal Fair, Arizona
•    Visit to Red Lake Nation, Minnesota
•    New World Premiere, Beverly Hills, CA
•    New Year’s Eve Powwow, Reno, NV
•    World Champion Hoop Dance Competition, Phoenix, AZ
•    UNITY Mid-year Conference, Washington, D.C.
•    Visit to Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Minnesota
•    Northwest Indian Youth Conference, Seattle, Washington
•    First Lady’s Luncheon, Washington, D.C.
•    Gathering of Nations Powwow, Albuquerque, NM
•    Red Earth Festival, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
•    North American Indigenous Games, Denver, CO
•    Society of American Indian Government Employees, Anchorage, AK

What a journey it’s been. I’ve met so many great people all over the country, young and old, who’ve offered me encouraging words. I’ve grown professionally and most importantly, spiritually. I’ve seen and heard first-hand all the good and bad things our young people are going through. I’m experiencing first-hand, as a parent, the adversities parents and grandparents go through with their children and grandchildren. Thank you for not giving up on our precious ones. I will always consider my three sons a blessing no matter what!

Thank you readers, friends, and supporters for helping us reach a milestone!

Posted March 2006

Emotions were overflowing when I first read the message board on Native Youth Magazine.com (NYM). The words “I love NYM!” written by a Native American teenage girl brought a lump to my throat. That was more than eight months ago. I still receive heartwarming emails but I don’t have time to dwell on the moment. Running a national e-magazine isn’t easy. Aside from maintaining the website and developing the business side of it, I’ve been traveling coast-to-coast telling the NYM story to anyone who’ll listen.

When people ask me what Native Youth Magazine is about I simply say ‘it showcases the talents and lifestyles of Native youth.’ NYM is designed to give Native youth a forum to tell their own stories and give their perspectives. It also gives aspiring writers an opportunity to explore the world of journalism.

The idea of a website for Native youth began in my home. I’m the mother of three boys Jordan 20, Micah 15 and Bear 10. They all jump on the Internet almost on a daily basis. I noticed they weren’t going to websites that catered to them as a Native youth and I discovered why. There just aren’t very many websites for and about Native youth. Those that exist are niche websites for those who have special interests like writing, sports and entertainment. There’s nothing wrong with that but I wondered about all the young people, like my sons, who wanted a place in cyberspace that not only catered to them but also offered one stop shopping. That’s when the vision began.

Early on I consulted with a man I admired. Gary Avey, publisher of Native Peoples Magazine, agreed to meet with me. When I told him my idea he said ‘you have a very good idea. Go for it!’ He offered to mentor me. I was so happy. I was going to learn from the best in the business! Two weeks later Gary discovered he had stage four-lung cancer. I was devastated. The cancer was very aggressive. He died six months later - the same month I quit my job as a TV News reporter so I could take on Native Youth Magazine.com full-time. I take comfort in the thought he is still cheering me on as I enter each phase of the website’s development.

By the time I left what was a 20 year career in TV News, NYM was six months old. My husband (John Mosley, Assiniboine Sioux/Paiute) and I by then had invested about $15,000 to not only create the website but we bought a laptop computer, digital camera and we traveled around the country promoting it. From day one a core group of Native youth including my sons have played an integral role in building the website. They gave me their input on the layout, design, colors, content and products for an online store. A handful of Native youth contribute articles on a regular basis. We’ve held a logo contest and an essay contest, both generating awesome entries.

When NYM first hit cyberspace on July 1, 2005 my family and I were ecstatic. We decided to rely on what I call the modern day “Indian telegraph” to get the word out - emails! The email campaign worked. During the first month several hundred people a day were visiting NYM! We also hit big Native youth events like the national UNITY conference and the Native American Basketball Invitational. From the beginning Native people including the youth embraced the vision. They also enjoy being featured. Those who pose for photos that go into our photo gallery get giddy. “I’m going to be on the Internet” I remember one girl telling someone happily after I took her picture.

We sent out news releases about Native Youth Magazine.com but it wasn’t until NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr., (Oneida) not only endorsed our efforts, he sent a news release nationwide on the U.S. Wire Service announcing it. The phone started ringing off the hook and the emails have been non-stop ever since. I was so overwhelmed I wasn’t able to keep up (I still haven’t answered some emails – SORRY!) The response was the confirmation we needed. Here are portions of those early emails:

"I love this site because there are many things I can do on it."

"This is the first time I'm checking out this site and it's very tight!"

"I think it's really great we finally have a Native Youth Magazine. It's about time!"

"I'm glad to see something this positive out there. Can't wait to see more."

"It's good to see a magazine for the youth. I wish NYM all the best."

"I like the website. I think it's informative and cool."

"I can't wait to see it grow."

"This site is great. Loads of content, pictures and interaction. I look forward to visiting again."

Native Youth Magazine.com is now averaging more than two million hits a month and more than 1,000 unique visits a day. Not bad for a young website.

We’re still molding NYM into a special pot. We now have a new logo/header, a sports section that we continue to build, and we've added an online store. What's in store for 2006? In the next phase there’s audio streaming and video casts. A print version will hopefully become a reality at the end of the year.

There are so many ways we can showcase the talents of our Native youth. They've already proven in the last eight months they can inspire and encourage their peers by simply telling their very personal stories. I tell young people anyone can be a star on NYM. As long as they’re in school, making decent grades and are staying out of trouble, they can send us their profile.

We'd like you to dream with us. We've said from the beginning we want this to be a website all Native youth can be proud of and a site caring adults will want to visit. We’ve also said from the beginning we believe NYM will become THE most visited Native website in the country in 2006. The dream could become reality in 2006.

Last Updated ( Thursday, 19 October 2006 )

Written by Mary Kim Titla
Friday, 10 March 2006
NATIVE YOUTH MAGAZINE.COM – THE STORY Native Youth Magazine.com, a year-old e-magazine that focuses on the talents and lifestyles of Native youth in the U.S. and Canada, has won three awards including a 1st Place Award for Best Website from the Native American Journalists Association among Native American websites, a 1st Place Award for Website Creation/Development from the Arizona Press Women’s Association and 3rd Place from the National Press Women’s Association in the same category among mainstream websites. “I’m very proud of all the young people who have helped shaped this website. We’ve worked very hard together to produce a website Native youth can be proud of and one adults can use as a resource. Our numbers confirm people care about our young people and want to read about the good things they are doing,” said Mary Kim Titla, Publisher and San Carlos Apache tribal member. NYM, created July 1, 2005, is now averaging more than 1100 visits a day. The e-magazine now includes audio and video streaming.The website features commentaries, profiles, headlines, photos and artwork submitted by Native youth. “This is an opportunity for Native youth to not only tell their own stories but it also allows them to explore the world of journalism,” added Titla. NYM now has a new look. “’Chris Allen, Navajo, is a talented young Native website creator who came up with a new design after he solicited ideas from other Native youths. We simply outgrew our old site. The new site will offer more topics as well as sections for elders and adults who can share their words of wisdom and encouragement. We will also offer podcasting and blogging. It’s exciting to see it grow,” said Titla. Much of the material posted on the website come from one-time and regular contributors. The website also includes general Native news. “Native youth are interested in news about Indian country,” said Titla.“This is a labor of love for my husband and I,” said Titla, who is paying for the business venture out-of-pocket. Titla and John Mosley, her husband and business partner, are now trying to focus their efforts on developing the bigger vision – a print magazine and a Native Youth Magazine TV show. “It’s taking on a life of its own. We are responding to a need and a demand from Native youth for information through all mediums. Our young people are like sponges, they want to see, hear and read about what their peers are doing in Indian country,” said Titla. You can contact Mary Kim Titla at marykim@nativeyouthmagazine.com. Posted August 2006 What A Year It’s Been! It’s hard to believe a whole year has gone by. As many of you know, Native Youth Magazine.com (NYM) went from dream to reality on July 1, 2005. I no longer have to think about what I’m going to say to people who ask what NYM is all about. I’ve spent so much time talking to people and doing interviews from coast to coast, the words now automatically flow from my mouth. “Native Youth Magazine showcases the talents and lifestyles of Native youth. It also gives them an opportunity to tell their own stories. It’s a positive place for our young people to go to but it’s not just for Native youth. It’s for anyone who cares about Native youth. We want the world to know our young Native people are alive and well and they’re having healthy fun!” During the last 12 months a lot of time and effort was spent promoting the e-magazine and creating a buzz about the big vision – a print magazine and would you believe I’m entertaining a proposal for a TV show! Wow. And to think the original vision was just a website. We’re moving forward slowly and for good reason. It’s a big dream! It’s going to take a lot of work to make it all happen. Someone once told me the more you talk about it, the more likely it’s going to become a reality. I’m doing plenty of talking that’s for sure. Here’s what’s happened in during the last 12 months. • Continued readership growth • Logo change • New header • Creation of an online store • Audio and video streaming • RSS Feed • Other added functions • First Place Award for Web Creation/Development (Arizona Press Women’s Association) • Support and partnerships with North American Indigenous Games, Nike, United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. and others Here are some of the events we’ve covered and communities we’ve visited: • UNITY conference, San Diego, CA • Native American Basketball Invitational, Phoenix, AZ • Santa Fe Indian Market, New Mexico • Visit to Ft. Yukon, Alaska • White Mountain Apache Tribal Fair, Arizona • Navajo Nation Fair, Arizona • National Indian Education Association Convention, Denver, CO • Tulsa Powwow, Oklahoma • National Congress of American Indians Convention, Tulsa, OK • San Carlos Apache Tribal Fair, Arizona • Visit to Red Lake Nation, Minnesota • New World Premiere, Beverly Hills, CA • New Year’s Eve Powwow, Reno, NV • World Champion Hoop Dance Competition, Phoenix, AZ • UNITY Mid-year Conference, Washington, D.C. • Visit to Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Minnesota • Northwest Indian Youth Conference, Seattle, Washington • First Lady’s Luncheon, Washington, D.C. • Gathering of Nations Powwow, Albuquerque, NM • Red Earth Festival, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • North American Indigenous Games, Denver, CO • Society of American Indian Government Employees, Anchorage, AK What a journey it’s been. I’ve met so many great people all over the country, young and old, who’ve offered me encouraging words. I’ve grown professionally and most importantly, spiritually. I’ve seen and heard first-hand all the good and bad things our young people are going through. I’m experiencing first-hand, as a parent, the adversities parents and grandparents go through with their children and grandchildren. Thank you for not giving up on our precious ones. I will always consider my three sons a blessing no matter what! Thank you readers, friends, and supporters for helping us reach a milestone! Posted March 2006 Emotions were overflowing when I first read the message board on Native Youth Magazine.com (NYM). The words “I love NYM!” written by a Native American teenage girl brought a lump to my throat. That was more than eight months ago. I still receive heartwarming emails but I don’t have time to dwell on the moment. Running a national e-magazine isn’t easy. Aside from maintaining the website and developing the business side of it, I’ve been traveling coast-to-coast telling the NYM story to anyone who’ll listen. When people ask me what Native Youth Magazine is about I simply say ‘it showcases the talents and lifestyles of Native youth.’ NYM is designed to give Native youth a forum to tell their own stories and give their perspectives. It also gives aspiring writers an opportunity to explore the world of journalism. The idea of a website for Native youth began in my home. I’m the mother of three boys Jordan 20, Micah 15 and Bear 10. They all jump on the Internet almost on a daily basis. I noticed they weren’t going to websites that catered to them as a Native youth and I discovered why. There just aren’t very many websites for and about Native youth. Those that exist are niche websites for those who have special interests like writing, sports and entertainment. There’s nothing wrong with that but I wondered about all the young people, like my sons, who wanted a place in cyberspace that not only catered to them but also offered one stop shopping. That’s when the vision began. Early on I consulted with a man I admired. Gary Avey, publisher of Native Peoples Magazine, agreed to meet with me. When I told him my idea he said ‘you have a very good idea. Go for it!’ He offered to mentor me. I was so happy. I was going to learn from the best in the business! Two weeks later Gary discovered he had stage four-lung cancer. I was devastated. The cancer was very aggressive. He died six months later - the same month I quit my job as a TV News reporter so I could take on Native Youth Magazine.com full-time. I take comfort in the thought he is still cheering me on as I enter each phase of the website’s development. By the time I left what was a 20 year career in TV News, NYM was six months old. My husband (John Mosley, Assiniboine Sioux/Paiute) and I by then had invested about $15,000 to not only create the website but we bought a laptop computer, digital camera and we traveled around the country promoting it. From day one a core group of Native youth including my sons have played an integral role in building the website. They gave me their input on the layout, design, colors, content and products for an online store. A handful of Native youth contribute articles on a regular basis. We’ve held a logo contest and an essay contest, both generating awesome entries. When NYM first hit cyberspace on July 1, 2005 my family and I were ecstatic. We decided to rely on what I call the modern day “Indian telegraph” to get the word out - emails! The email campaign worked. During the first month several hundred people a day were visiting NYM! We also hit big Native youth events like the national UNITY conference and the Native American Basketball Invitational. From the beginning Native people including the youth embraced the vision. They also enjoy being featured. Those who pose for photos that go into our photo gallery get giddy. “I’m going to be on the Internet” I remember one girl telling someone happily after I took her picture. We sent out news releases about Native Youth Magazine.com but it wasn’t until NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr., (Oneida) not only endorsed our efforts, he sent a news release nationwide on the U.S. Wire Service announcing it. The phone started ringing off the hook and the emails have been non-stop ever since. I was so overwhelmed I wasn’t able to keep up (I still haven’t answered some emails – SORRY!) The response was the confirmation we needed. Here are portions of those early emails: "I love this site because there are many things I can do on it." "This is the first time I'm checking out this site and it's very tight!" "I think it's really great we finally have a Native Youth Magazine. It's about time!" "I'm glad to see something this positive out there. Can't wait to see more." "It's good to see a magazine for the youth. I wish NYM all the best." "I like the website. I think it's informative and cool." "I can't wait to see it grow." "This site is great. Loads of content, pictures and interaction. I look forward to visiting again." Native Youth Magazine.com is now averaging more than two million hits a month and more than 1,000 unique visits a day. Not bad for a young website. We’re still molding NYM into a special pot. We now have a new logo/header, a sports section that we continue to build, and we've added an online store. What's in store for 2006? In the next phase there’s audio streaming and video casts. A print version will hopefully become a reality at the end of the year. There are so many ways we can showcase the talents of our Native youth. They've already proven in the last eight months they can inspire and encourage their peers by simply telling their very personal stories. I tell young people anyone can be a star on NYM. As long as they’re in school, making decent grades and are staying out of trouble, they can send us their profile. We'd like you to dream with us. We've said from the beginning we want this to be a website all Native youth can be proud of and a site caring adults will want to visit. We’ve also said from the beginning we believe NYM will become THE most visited Native website in the country in 2006. The dream could become reality in 2006.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 19 October 2006 )