Creative expression and activism: Detester Magazine
de·test
/dəˈtest/
dislike intensely.
I think these days almost everyone has either detested something or unfortunately been a victim of someone’s detest. Detester Magazine is a diverse youth-led platform that shares BIPOC stories that join together to create a picture that “expresses distilled human emotions'' that can accompany the varying detestful experiences BIPOC youth can feel and encounter. The name Detester Magazine also reflects their goal to “combat the hate and bigotry that stem from ignorance” and do so through various initiatives such as frequent publications, ongoing projects, and even a zine.
Detester Magazine was founded in 2019 founder Huiwen Chen and co-founders Anju Meyer and Theo Brandt with a three-pronged mission in mind:
1. Amplify socio-political issues that affect minorities
2. Empower creative BIPOC youth to raise their voices on issues that matter to them
3. Inspire creative BIPOC youth to be socially and politically active
Through beautiful and impactful written pieces, Detester spectacularly breathes life into their mission through a wide range of mediums such as poetry, photography and video, visual art, interviews, and creative writing. They also have a variety of articles that cover an array of BIPOC experiences regarding society, health, interpersonal struggles, and current events; you can find well researched articles about the myriad of issues BIPOC face such as facing medical racism as a Black individual, Indigenous activism in the US, and the humanitarian Crisis in Yemen.
An example of Detester’s commitment to uplifting BIPOC youth is their BIPOC Creator Spotlight project. Addressing the limited and limiting representation of BIPOC individuals in media, Detester Magazine started this project to empower BIPOC voices and challenge the single story narrative that media perpetuates. Each month they spotlight various BIPOC creators on their social media and website; they allow submissions through their google form.
Detester Magazine’s team of writers does a fantastic job of covering a wide array of both universal and specific issues in the BIPOC community and they also feature submissions from their readers, solidifying its presence as a platform that amplifies the voices of minorities. Going beyond their wonderfully crafted website, Detester also has plans to release a monthly podcast cleverly titled “Deteste This!” that spreads awareness about BIPOC issues, encourages youth activism, and amplifies BIPOC voices. Their host, Sophie Zuo, will be doing this through a combination of social commentary and interviews with BIPOC creators so be sure to look out for that!
Their focus on creative expression as a means to spotlight BIPOC youth activism and socio-political issues truly allows Detester Magazine to shine. Aside from their (absolutely gorgeous) website, you can also find them on social media: instagram, twitter, tik tok, youtube, spotify, and facebook.
