Reclamation Magazine is an independent publication and media start-up committed to amplifying the voices of the marginalized. We attempt to give the communities and the people whose perspectives have been cast off in the mainstream a platform to express themselves — to showcase their vulnerability, to stand tall in the face of adversity, and to reclaim their identity. We are dedicated to featuring the creativity, intellect, and opinions of our contributors as authentically as possible; urging them to stick with their truth in a time where the world needs it more than ever.

We recognize that there are voices in the social and political climate that have been sidelined for far too long, voices that haven’t been given the validity they deserve, voices that through it all have remained persistent.

There is power in words. In art. In stories. They have the ability to change the very foundations of our world, the institutions that have sought to oppress us, the borders that have attempted to divide us. They have the power to free us from the walls built to contain us so that we are diminished to nothing but labels and stereotypes.

But we are so much more than that. We are intellectuals. We are creatives. We are leaders, and thinkers, and doers. We are revolutionaries. And we are, in essence, hope. The spokespeople of our generation.

Here at Reclamation Magazine, your voice matters.

MEET THE FOUNDER

Hi, I’m Simra Mariam, the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Reclamation Magazine. I am a storyteller, multimedia artist, and literary enthusiast. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communication Studies and currently work in the publishing industry.

Growing up as an Indian American Muslim woman, there were countless times I felt like my identity isolated me. Whether it was racism, Islamophobia, and later tokenism, I was fully conscious that assimilating into a world that would always perceive me as the ‘other’ would not be easy. The stereotypes and stigmas associated with my culture or religion were constantly reinforced by the media, and still, I distinctly remember feeling a fleeting sense of fulfillment any time a South Asian character appeared on-screen, if only for a moment; or a hijabi news anchor made headlines for ‘defying the norm.’ I had to train myself to realize that the bare minimum would never be enough: our intricate and diverse histories across the diaspora, our struggles, our day-to-day experiences in a system constructed to single us out, our cultural and familial ties — they deserved so much more.

I turned to writing as a way to express myself, and it liberated me as nothing else could have. But it was important to me that I never, ever allow myself to reach the top without lifting up others along with me. That’s where the essence for a platform like Reclamation Magazine lies, in the responsibility, once you’re handed the privilege of telling your stories, to hold the door open for others to do the same.

Rooted in the concept of using various mediums of art to express individuality, experiences, and critiques about the world, my hope for this magazine is that it’s accessible to anyone who feels the need for a representative voice in the mainstream media. I am hopeful that as the platform continues to grow in both readership and contributions, it will serve as a statement that marginalized voices cannot be erased, and are all the more powerful when they come together.