After having its copies on shelves in 26 libraries in the U.S. and Canada, a new edition of Black Girl’s Magazine is out, this time catering to teens.

Since its launch in 2017, the magazine has garnered recognition for its representative content featuring authentic topics that hit home for Black girls aged eight to 13.

It was founded by Annette Bazira-Okafor, who saw her artistically gifted daughter Mbabazi draw images, with blonde hair for instance, which didn’t resemble herself.

However, as these girls reached their teens — one of their transformative stages, BGM launched its teen edition on Nov. 1.

“We realized they needed a totally different platform because they’re writing with eight-year-olds,” Bazira-Okafor said. “They are now in high school and they needed a totally different platform from the younger girls.”

In addition, “We also had more younger girls joining . . . we have the older girls bringing their siblings.”

In its first edition, readers can see a more mature content and most importantly young Black women writing on a plethora of subjects such as how to make hearty Nigerian delicacies such as okra soup to more serious topics such as one Black girl’s journey to embrace her natural hair.

Bazira-Okafor, the editor-in-chief, has a solid seven-member staff including her daughter for the teen edition. The editor also receives articles from “remote contributors” from as far away as the United States.

The mother said the libraries’ interests in BGM resides in the fact that the magazine offers relatable modern content to young Black girls not offered in mainstream media or even pop culture magazines.

Mega iconic Black female stars like Beyoncé or Rihanna have further emboldened and empowered Black women’s position, at least in pop culture.

But Bazira-Okafor cited work from U.S. professor Craig Watkins’s book “Hip Hop Matters,” where he wrote, “Despite the proliferation of hip-hop magazines there are virtually no empowering images of Black women.”

“The degree to which hip-hop fails to speak and understand the world that girls in the hood inhabit is striking,” he added.

The relatableness of the magazine and its reflective topics have landed Black Girls Magazine some major interviews.

The girls have already interviewed notables such as Canada’s science minister Kirsty Duncan, former minister of immigration Ahmed Hussen, and A-listers like Canadian actress Tamara Taylor, who plays Dr. Camille Saroyan in the forensic crime drama “Bones.”

They don’t only interview, but they get interviewed by big international media outlets such as the BBC.

Their BBC interview “brought in a lot more people from the U.S., and we have subscribers from the U.K. as well.

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So far they have more than 150 subscribers, including 26 libraries in North America such as the Baton Rouge Community College in Louisiana or even in institutes such as University of Ottawa.

The magazines are biannually, and Bazira-Okafor wishes it can be quarterly. But she’s also completing her PhD at the University of Toronto, making time a limited commodity.

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