MUSIC EDITION-Ft. MK Look Book

THE INSIDERS
Publ isher & Chief Execut ive Officer
Tempest t Harris (CEO)
Chief Operat ing Officer/ Editor In Chief
Maresa Scot t (COO)
Creat ive Director
Michael Lopez
Administ rat ive Staff
Sal es/ Market ing
Michel l e Mit chel l
Ashl ey Lindo
Graphic Design
Layout Designer
Antoine Boderick
El isha Cut t er
Fashion
St yl ist
Jerry Thompson
St yl e and Wardrobe Cont ributor
Jekia Benson
Makeup Art ist
Al exis Washington
April Hil l
Writ ers
Writ er
Desi Hel m
Cont ribut ing writ er
Marage Bl akeney
Writ er Int ern
l il l ian tayl or
Bl ogger/ Journal ist Int ern
mary l ucas
bree wil kins
This Edit ion Photography
Laurence Logan-The T.Z St udio
michael l opez
Videography
Toussaint St udios-
Emmanuel Toussaint
Corporat e Publ ic Rel at ions
Pac Publ ic Rel at ions
Digital
Level 21Media LLC.
Yumpu
Wribit s

22
28
MK LOOK BOOK
MAKAILA GARCIA
ANGELA YEE
EXCLUSIVE
TABLEOF
CONTENT
34
COVER FEATURE/
NUMERAL 3
50
PRODUCER 20

TOMS X LEVEL21
4 REASONS TOSHOP TOMS
Writ t en By: Lillian Taylor
TOMS are a must have for men, women, and children. Those looking to start their fall
wardrobe TOMS has the right look for you! Each shoe has been specially made to
incorporate comfort and include intricate designs. They offer a variety of options not
only for you, but the entire family.
Not only will you look stylish in the latest trends, but with every purchase, you are
helping many people around the world. Since 2006, TOMS has given shoes, sight, and
clean water to more than ninety-four million people world wide. Each purchase helps
support their mission to fix pressing issues such as gun violence, homelessness, and
gender inequality. ?...we have our customers to thank for turning our mission? using
business to improve lives? into a movement? (TOMS.com). With the launch of this years
Fall Fashion, your help and support can create safe water systems, restore sight to
people in need, and even, in turn, lead to improving health, increase economic
opportunity, and provide greater access to education. Level21?s TV crew had the
wonderful opportunity to rock five new spectacular pairs that were sent to them
exclusively from TOMS and fell in love with the brand all over again. If you haven't
shopped TOMS in a while. Trust us, you are missing out on quality and comfort with
heart. We decided to came up with a short list of what makes TOMS different from any
other shoe brand on the market today.

1.TOMS is Standing for A
Better Tomorrow.
As mentioned above, TOMS participates in
multiple charities in order to help people
all around the world. They take pride in
hosting events and becoming a heavy
voice within the crowd that wants to end
gun violence, provide safe resources, and
much more. At TOMS.com, you can read
an entire collection of stories on how your
TOMS purchases make an impact on the
community. Visit TOMS.com and take a
look at the ?your impact? section to dig
deeper into each fight for a better
tomorrow.
2. TOMS Rewards you for
Shopping!
With every purchase, you have the
opportunity to redeem points for
exclusive rewards like TOMS gear, special
offers, and so much more. All it takes is
your name, email, and zip code! Get
started right away at TOMS.com so you
can reach Silver or Gold Status to earn
points faster.
Cam eron ( Level21 TV Assist ant Product ion)
TOMS?[Black STAR WARS Space Print Men?s TRVL Lit e Slip-ons]
Price: $94.95
Yam aris ( Level21 TV
Correspondent ) Rocking TOMS?:
[Black and Whit e Canvas Give
Plat form Wom en?s Boardw alk
Classics Venice Collect ion] Price:
$69.95
3.TOMS partners with
like-minded brands.
?Social Entrepreneurship Fund? is just one
example of a social partnership that help
new enterprises start from the ground up.
TOMS makes sure to look for like-minded
social innovators and facilitates that make
it their goal to help bring fascinating ideas
to life.
Em m anuel (Level21 TV Execut ive
Product ion) TOMS?[Black Canvas Men?s
Classics] Price: $51.95
Jerry (Level21 TV Correspondent )
TOMS?[Olive Green Distressed
Men?s Cupsole Classics] Price:
$59.95
4. TOMS is not a name, it?s a
vision.
The company?s name stands for the
founders Blake Mycoskie?s vision from the
beginning: ?Sell a pair of shoes today and
give away a pair tomorrow?. The entire
statement wouldn?t fit on a tag so he
decided to shorten ?tomorrow?to TOMS.

MODEL SPOTLIGHT/
FIONA ROSE
WWW.FIFIGIRL.COM
PG.49

MAKAILA
MK@SOULFLOETRY

MUSICIAN & ARTIST MAKAILA GARCIA
PHO TO GRAPHY BY LAURENCE LO GAN

ANGELA YEE
EXCLUSIVE
Interviewer Yamaris Polanco in collaboration
with writer Mary Lucas

"

"

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: MICHAEL LOPEZ

N i k M oral es
Nik Morales knows travel as well as she knows talent and has
mastered her ability to blend a practical mind for business with
her passion for creativity. With a spirit that has guided her
success, Morales?hustle has lifted her out of her deepest
trenches and established her independence. She is a trailblazer
within her industry who seems to know no limits.
Morales, a ?travel guru,? is the CEO of The Travel Agency LLC, a
touring agency that specializes in entertainment and has worked
with Kelly Rowland, J Cole, Cindy Lauper, Childish Gambino, Asap
Rocky, BTS and many more. She has also been recognized by
Essence Magazine as one of the top 25 Female Founders to
Watch.
Success did not come easily to Morales though; she was a self
N
described ?latch key kid? growing up in Inglewood, CA. ?I had a
beautiful childhood, but I also had challenges,? Morales said,
explaining that as the oldest child in her family, she learned to
handle responsibility at an early age by helping her young
mother take care of her younger siblings.
Morales??saving grace? was her grandparents who not only had a heavy hand in raising her but set an example for what
a strong work ethic could achieve. Her grandmother earned a master?s degree at a time when women were not
encouraged to pursue advanced education, however due to her being a black woman, she faced difficulty in the career
field she had envisioned for herself and reconciled by becoming a teacher. She put her all into making the most of her
career path and when she retired she was a principal at the top of her game.
Her grandparent?s compassion and investment in Morales?well being followed her into her adulthood at what she
describes as one of her lowest points. Morales was in her 30s and had found herself in a 10 year abusive relationship,
she had just lost her job working for Capital Records and she had suffered a miscarriage all in the same time frame.
While she knew she was not in a healthy place she feared leaving, explaining that despite her better judgment, ?there?s
always a fear of change.?
Morales ultimately made the call to reach out to her grandfather for help, and she packed her bags in secret and fled
her abusive home to go live with her grandparents. While it was difficult for Morales to take such a large step backward
in her career and personal life path, she learned a valuable lesson that, ?greatness is always on the other side of
humility,? she said.
Despite the trauma of her situation, Morales used her time to self improve, stating, ?that 2009 summer was the best
summer of my life because I got to reconnect with me.?
Soon Morales met Pat Walker, a woman in business who became a mentor to her. Morales described her as ?everything
I wanted to be.? Walker was a Black female trailblazer in her industry, and she played a large role in Morales?career
evolution.

At the time, Morales was a travel vlogger, and she attended a travel event
and met The Appointment Group, a top touring agency in London, hoping
to expand their brand in the United States. Morales expressed her interest
in working for their newly opened LA office, and they decided to bring her
onboard.
She quickly found her niche, specializing in touring. Throughout her time at
The Appointment Group, Morales worked with Kanye West, Rihanna,
Beyonce, and Foo Fighters. She explained that finding her specialty is what
made her so successful at what she does, comparing her field to the
medical field; ?if you need brain surgery, you wouldn?t go to an OBGYN.?
Morales?career path seemed to be as fulfilling as possible until she
coordinated Alicia?s Keys?New York City show for The Fourth of July. Morales
couldn?t let the idea of moving to New York City go, so she begged The
Appointment Group to let her move to New York, however they were not
supportive. Morales made the executive decision to go with her gut, stating,
?I?m in control of my life. Why am I asking your permission to make a move
that I cheer so loud within me to make??
Morales reached out to a close friend named Jason Allen, who let her know that, Stage and Screen, an Australlian based agency
had a position open in New York City, which she ultimately secured. With about $400 in her account and and less than ideal
M
credit, she packed her life into four suitcases and bought a one way ticket from LA to New York. To get by initially, Morales slept
on a friend?s couch in her cramped New York apartment.
It did not take long though for Morales to rise within her new agency, maintaining many of her previous clients, including Kelly
Rowland who Morales is still grateful for her loyalty. With a book of contacts that many of her colleagues wanted access to, one of
her peers asked her why she continued to work for an agency when she could run her own. ?And just like that I quit and started
my own company,? she said.
?Everyday I have to hit the ground running,? Morales said, explaining that most days she is working straight out of bed. She
described her job as demanding with lots of moving parts, explaining that a lot of what she does is ?putting out fires.? ?There?s not
really much room for breathing,? she said, explaining that her day can start at 6am and not end until 10pm.
Despite the pressure and challenges of running her own business, Morales is passionate about what she does. ?I love supporting
the artist because I feel like I understand what that space is and I kind of look at things from a different perspective than most
travel agents, which I think makes me stand apart.? Morales growing up participated in the performing arts, stating that she is a
singer/songwriter in another life, and this understanding of her clients gives her a unique advantage in her industry.
Her mind for business is what elevates her passion, making her a titan in her industry. She explained her success to stem from,
?the ability to transition from being a creative to being in a space where I?m part of the machine which is not something a lot of
people can do.?
Morales explained that staying sane under pressure is something she is still learning to do, attributing self care, such as eating
healthier and taking better care of herself spiritually to have been steps in the right direction. Learning to make room for herself
when she is a natural nurturer is something Morales is still practicing.
For those interested in pursuing a career like hers, Morales advises, ?focus on what it is they really want to focus on,? stating that
it is also important to be patient. As long as the passion stays alive, ?be prepared to grow everyday,? she said.
Now Morales is focused on following her heart around the world as she manages her business. This year, she has embarked on a
2 month remote work trip to Australia, New Zealand, Bali and Thailand. She explained, ?I move as the spirit dictates I move.?
Nik Morales can be found on Instagram @thetravelgoddess and her email is nik@thetravelgoddessnik.com.

"LOREMIPSUM
DOLORSIT"

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