Launched in 1999, Precious (www.preciousonline.co.uk), is an online magazine, network and resource for women of colour.
Precious is an online magazine, network and resource for women of colour. We launched in 1999 and were the first publication of its kind to launch in the UK. Our aim is to be the premier destination for women of colour on the web.
Foluke Akinlose – Founder
I’d dreamt of launching a magazine for women of colour since I was a kid. When I was younger there were no British magazines that featured girls that looked like me, I’d spend my pocket money on American imports and they were great, but I really wanted to read about the Black British experience.
When I grew older and started working in the media as a journalist I quickly realised how expensive setting up a print magazine was. I just didn’t have those kinds of funds so I decided to put the magazine idea at the back of my mind for a while.
In 1996 I began working in the Online department of ITN. Because of the nature of my job I spent a lot of time researching online. I came across so many online publications aimed at African-American women but there was nothing for those based in the UK. I soon realised that the web gave me a way of publishing and this was a way for me to launch the magazine that I had always dreamed of doing. So I followed my dream.
When I was thinking about a name, I wanted something that summed up how I felt about the women I knew and what I wanted the magazine to be the women who read it. Precious seemed so apt.
Our aim is to profile and celebrate the professional and entrepreneurial achievements of women of colour in the UK. We host a number of events throughout the year and we host an annual awards event that celebrates businesswomen. Our readership is global; our core audience is Black and Asian women aged between 18 and 45. We also work with a range of corporate partners on various projects be it recruitment, events or helping them to showcase their products to our diverse audience.
Positive people doing their own thing inspire us. There is so much talent out there, we want to play our part in exposing it and we hope that people see Precious as a vehicle to global success.
If you want to talk to Precious contact me, the Founder, Foluke Akinlose: [email protected]
Or you can drop us a line via our Facebook Group here.
Or drop by our myspace page here.
