GAZELLE MAGAZINE Vol. 1, Issue 1 | Page 5

Gazelle 14 Spring 1-24_Gazelle Magazine 4/17/14 6:56 PM Page 3 PUBLISHER’S note “Every Woman’s Story Counts, Including Yours.” - Soraya Chemaly As women, we share the human experience through the lens of being female, including all the joys and adversities that come with it. This magazine is about the humanity of being female and the empowerment, strength and positivity that our experiences can give us, especially if we share them. In this magazine, we will focus on local women and women with local ties. The more I thought about how extraordinary some of the women in our community are, how much their stories aren’t known by most of us, and how raw and authentic their joys and sorrows are, the more I realized, that when shared, these stories have the potential to transform lives. I started Gazelle because I wanted to help women tell their stories, to champion their efforts, and to highlight their amazing lives. We have an opportunity to learn from the women we come face to face with every day. Sometimes, women who we will never cross paths with, but can share a common thread through Gazelle. They are inspiring examples to the rest of us who want to do something amazing with our lives. I cannot ask you to share intimate details of your lives, your thoughts and fears, your trials and tribulations, without sharing mine. As owner of Xanadu Public Relations, co–founder of Missouri Style Week and now publisher and editor-in-chief of Gazelle STL, I too have faced my own struggles. Through it all, I held on to the core of who I am and turned trials into triumphs and learning opportunities. Hope you enjoy the ‘Women Who Inspire” series in this Issue. I look forward to sharing your stories with other women. Photography: Charles Barnes Jewelry: Yoro Creations Cillah Hall Publisher/Editor-in-Chief [email protected] Follow me on Twitter @Cillah_Hall GAZELLE STL.COM A very special and sincere thank you to my amazing team. Gazelle STL is a result of many hours of hard work by a group of visionaries. My editors, writers, photographers, art director, layout artist, graphic artist, stylists, hair and makeup artists, account executives, interns, web developer and contributors. GAZELLE STL 3