Featured Writers

Claris Minas Manglicmot
Fashion & Design Editor

Claris Minas Manglicmot is the Founder and Creative Director of Couture Culture and Arts (CCA), producer of shows, editorials and fashion competitions. CCA is an organization that endeavors to support the diverse cultures and population of artists within Canada and internationally. Backed by a small but strong team, CCA has had a profound impact reaching, showcasing, educating and enriching the lives of artists.   

Claris manages emerging fashion designers and does PR Services on consultancy basis. Her energy and entrepreneurial spirit led her to start a retail business in Canada, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Brunei and the Philippines in 2007.  The business remains her passion. Her past experience as hotelier refined her skills in human resources which contributed to her success in recent years.

In her early years her interests were vast and she nurtured them in her choices of extra-curricular activities and community involvement. She has ventured into painting and jewellery making.  She has worked as an Event Organizer and PR volunteer for different non-profit organizations including Women’s International Club (WIC).

Claris studied at Mindanao State University where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality. She graduated cum laude and a leadership awardee. She also studied at the London School of Public Relations where she finished with distinction in Business Administration.

Founder and Creative Director
Couture Culture and Arts (CCA)
www.couturecultureandarts.com


Kareem Gordon

Kareem Gordon is a graduate of the Centre for Young Black Professionals program. His goal is to be a community activist, pushing to create safe and supportive mentorship programs for minority youth empowerment.  In addition to his natural writing skills, he has also been a radio host.

Find Kareem on Facebook/Instagram, or by emailing: [email protected]


Leandra Vanessa Louis

Leandra is a fashionista at heart. She hails from the beautiful island of Dominica in the Caribbean. It is known as Nature Island, and it is where she was introduced to her love of vibrant colours. She works primarily as a Licensed Paralegal alongside lawyers who practice test case and Charter litigation work. As an immigrant to Canada, Leandra feels the need to give back and is working toward becoming a lawyer to continue helping marginalized people. Leandra writes a fashion blog and moonlights as a freelance makeup artist and fashion stylist.

Contact via email [email protected]

Vanessa’s blog www.stylelikeyourrich.com


Akua Hinds

Akua Hinds is an experienced professional specializing in business marketing, journalism, and the performing arts. She was born and raised in the Greater Toronto Area to Barbadian parents, and she has a great appreciation for her multi-ethnic diverse background and for diversity as a whole. Akua attended Humber College in Toronto and graduated with a Business Marketing Diploma as well as a Post-grad Print and Broadcast Journalism Diploma.

Akua started studying music from the age of 6 and a half, and has attained certificates from The Royal Conservatory of Music.

Akua is the founder and marketing director of Pure Romance by Akua Hinds (www.PureRomance.com/AkuaHinds) a relationship enhancement products business for singles and couples and three worldwide dating websites (www.InterracialDesires.net, www.RichSinglesDate.net, and www.ChristianPartner.co ).


Dr. Lisa Ramsackal

Mississauga Chiropractor and Registered Acupuncturist Dr. Lisa Ramsackal is dedicated to providing patients with the highest level of care to achieve and maintain healthy active life styles. She has a Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, and obtained her Doctorate of Chiropractic and a 2 year Chiropractic Rehabilitation Fellowship Program from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College.  Dr. Ramsackal’s passion for holistic health care also led her to becoming a Registered Acupuncturist and Certified Personal Trainer.

Dr. Lisa combines her passion for health and wellness promotion and education through community and corporate involvement, various media appearances, and hosts a weekly health and wellness TV segment. In 2018 she took the bold step to expand her clinic in Streetsville, now called Innova Integrated Wellness Centre.  Find her at:

Web: www.innovaintegratedwellness.ca
Web: www.chiropractor-drlisa.ca
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: @InnovaIntegratedWellness
Instagram:innova_wellness


Michelle Moore

Michelle has been in and around the Creative Realm for a few years now, previously part of the African Fashion Week Toronto team, previously involved with the 2015 Juno Awards and she also was the Executive Assistant for the C.E.O of Canada Glass Awards in Toronto a few years back. Michelle’s fulltime career has been within the Commercial Business Insurance field for over 18 years, as a Broker she holds her (CIP) designation (Chartered Insurance Professional) and ensures her clients are properly covered at Acumen Insurance head office.  Michelle joined the SMJ team officially after having covered the 2014 African Fashion Week Toronto for SMJ. Her passion for fashion and hunger for experiencing new things has made Michelle the perfect fit to be an integral part of the SMJ Magazine team. Along with her passion for Fashion & Entertainment, she is also interested in writing stories that reflect her faith and stories that encourage others.

In 2019 Michelle decided to take her passion for fashion to a new level, and stepped out in faith to create my own fashion legacy in 2020. Her company is called “FashionFaith78 Boutique”.

For more information email [email protected]


Ben Skura

A University of Ottawa, Ottawa – Joint Honours Public Administration & Political Science graduate from this past spring, Ben is now back home in Mississauga. He has put both his academic interest and skill base to good use over the past six years, as well as his flexibility to move around southern Ontario. He has been a federal Conservative Party canvasser in Oakville, directly involved in the food industry in Mississauga, an intern for a federal MP in Ottawa, and involved in counselling in Brampton.


Naailah Auladin

Naailah Auladin is a Sexual Freedom Fighter. She found her voice after she left a 17 year emotionally and physically abusive relationship. She decided to publicly be the voice for sexual respect after witnessing the shame and guilt that women in many cultures face daily.

She was inspired to be an advocate through education and is the host of a sexual talk show, “All on the Table,” that will be aired in August. Her aim is to spark the right conversation and promote healthy sexual relationships, which is as important as the relationship we build with our physical health, our food or our sleep.