Urban Grandstand Digital Issue 9 | Page 4

W o r d s f r o m o u r P u b l i s h e r NORMALLY, I USE THIS SECTION TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW ISSUE. IT GENERALLY SERVES AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BOAST ABOUT THE MANY AWESOME FEATURES WERE BRINGING YOUR WAY, BUT THIS ISSUE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. THIS TIME, I’M TAKING IT ANOTHER DIRECTION. issue and it opened the door for so many other opportunities throughout the year. From streaming the red carpet ceremonies of the Stellar Awards to covering the Baz Brothers Strength of Love in Atlanta, we were able to show just how powerful we’ve become as a team. The fun didn’t end there either. We’ve had a steady stream of great issues, and we’ve garnered support from so many directions. One of the year’s many highlights was the tribute issue we produced in support of Faith Evans’ debut album. It was the chance of a lifetime, and her involvement made it all that much better. It also opened the door to a line of tribute issues that have taken off quite nicely. Most importantly, in 2015, we were able to build a number of strong and positive relationships that I’m sure will take us a great distance into the future. We’re grateful for all that has come our way. Personally, I’m more grateful to have the blessing of doing something I truly love. It would be a lie if I said it wasn’t difficult at times. In all honesty, many things in the beginning were trial and error, but it made for a highly successful product in the end. We pride ourselves in the unbiased and ethical coverage we provide, and we’ve gained a tremendous amount of respect for it. We’re all about enhancing urban culture, and we refuse to build our brand off negativity. That alone makes the difference in what we cover, vs. what we won’t. We’ve stood strong with that, and it has paid off. Were gaining the trust of the industry, and slowly but surely, we’ve made our way into your hearts. For that, I say thank you over and over. urban grandstand digital As I reflect on the year that has come to pass, I also reflect on the year that has arrived. 2015 was surely full of blessings. We started our year triumphantly, with a new issue featuring Darrin Dewitt Henson, Trevor Jackson, Justin Martin, Maria Howell, Brad James, Messiah Harris, Mykelti Williamson, and so many other phenomenal actors and actresses. We received a lot of traction with this