Nora Howell (nhowell)

I always fall victim to the alluring fashion magazine covers as I stand in line at the grocery store. How can one resist powerful, famous women with perfect hair, in glamorous clothes surrounded by titles that speak directly to what is missing in my life, or at least what I think is missing?

After flipping through countless fashion magazines, receiving endless advice on make-up, the right outfit for my body type, recipes and diet tips, one question remained unanswered. While there were routine articles about skin care, moisturizer, wrinkles and cosmetic surgery, not one addressed the whiteness of my skin. What does it mean to have white skin? Should I consider my white skin when I am picking out clothes? Should I take it into consideration when choosing a neighborhood? What do people without white skin think of my white epidermis? It almost seemed as though the editors of my favorite fashion magazines were in denial of the whiteness of their white audience.

In my fruitless effort to find answers to my questions, I founded IVORY. I have set out to address the questions that I could not find answers for. IVORY exists to investigate whiteness and its implications in various capacities.

--Nora Howell

Founding Editor

Write a letter to the editor: IvoryMagazine @ gmail.com