Root 

Root is a magazine dedicated to sharing the personal stories, experiences and opinions of Asians in Canada. Through short stories, the magazine dives into experiences that attempts to connect Asians of different backgrounds together. Featured are the stories of immigrants, locals, and international students alike. The goal is to celebrate the diversity of humans under the umbrella term, “Asian”.

TYPE

Editorial Design
Art Direction

TOOLS

InDesign, Illustrator,
Photoshop, Lightroom,
Canon T6i

The Concept

The editorial’s vision is to bridge the gap between stereotypical views on Asians in Canada and their true experiences. Root stays away from news articles and celebrity figures, instead choosing to solely document the unfiltered stories told by individuals living their everyday lives. Though these stories reflect imperfect lives, they give us a glimpse into an often relatable experience.

Target Audience

Root Magazine is for the story lovers. It is for anyone interested in learning about the Asian community in Canada as it gives an insight into the many variations of the Asian identity.

Research

Before conducting interviews, shooting photos and sketching layouts, I did some research on the already-existing Asian magazines out there that tackles the topic of Asian identity. Many of these magazines are either written by experts through their scientific lens, or news reporters discussing the lives and views of Asian celebrities.

I also took a look at Humans of New York’s blog and series for inspiration on stories told from a different perspective. After exploring the possible paths in which I could shed more light onto the Canadian Asian community, I decided to follow the path of interviewing and documenting the plain but raw stories individuals are willing to share.

The Magazine

Dimensions 8.5 x 11.5 inches, 80 pages, 18 stories

Read the Root Magazine.

Next Steps

This magazine was truly a challenge for me since I am in charge of every little detail from the initial concept to planning and sketching ideas, to gathering content that makes up the bulk of Root. It was a big challenge but a good learning experience on planning ahead and setting up deadlines for myself in order to avoid falling behind. To continue this project, I would like to create more issues in the future to take a closer look at the vibrancy of Asian identities.