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The Soultown Magazine Celebrates its 100th Issue, Uplifting

04/01/2025, Mountain View, California // PRODIGY: Feature Story //

This April 2025, The Soultown Magazine will mark a milestone that few grassroots publications achieve: its 100th issue. For nearly a decade, this independent magazine has been a powerful platform for highlighting the stories, successes, and cultural contributions of Black and Brown communities. What began as a personal mission for founder Cherie ‘Chillin’ Kabba has grown into a nationally recognized movement, proving that positive storytelling can shape history, inspire futures, and strengthen communities.

For Kabba, The Soultown is more than just a publication; it’s a calling that traces back to a transformative moment nearly two decades ago. In 2006, she traveled to Senegal and visited the House of Slaves on Gorée Island, a site that holds deep historical significance in the African diaspora. Standing there, she felt an ancestral pull, an undeniable urge to share the untold stories of Black and Brown people, not just those rooted in history but those shaping the present and the future. That experience planted the seed for The Soultown Magazine, which she officially launched in January 2017 with a commitment to telling stories that uplift, educate, and inspire.


“In mainstream media, we see too many negative narratives about Black and Brown communities. The Soultown exists to counter that by celebrating the everyday heroes, cultural icons, and visionaries who are making an impact,” Kabba explains.

From its humble beginnings, The Soultown has blossomed into a publication with subscribers across 18 states and contributors from around the world. Its reach extends beyond print and digital issues; it is a movement that provides a platform for writers, artists, and storytellers to showcase their perspectives. Each issue dives into a range of topics, from history and art to music, travel, and community initiatives, always with a focus on representation, cultural pride, and empowerment.


What sets The Soultown apart is its grassroots approach. Kabba often finds feature-worthy individuals simply by walking through communities, engaging with people whose stories might otherwise go untold. Many of the magazine’s profiles come from word-of-mouth referrals: people nominating others who are making a difference, often without seeking recognition for themselves. “We’re talking about people, places, and things that are positively affecting Black and Brown communities,” Kabba says.


But the impact of The Soultown is as tangible as it is positive. Elderly readers cherish its historical and cultural stories, while younger generations find inspiration in the representation of people who look like them achieving greatness. Whether it’s a feature on a local entrepreneur, an artist making waves, or a deep dive into the historical roots of cultural traditions, the magazine fosters a sense of belonging and pride.

Since its first issue debuted, with over 1,000 digital viewers, The Soultown has steadily expanded. Today, it boasts a team of 30+ writers across the U.S. and two international contributors. Its pages have spotlighted everything from George Clinton’s induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame to a first-hand account of Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago, bringing cultural experiences to readers who might not have the chance to witness them firsthand.


Kabba’s approach to storytelling is deeply immersive. She makes it a point to visit communities where her subscribers live, combining travel with learning opportunities to better understand and share their experiences. This hands-on method has cemented The Soultown’s reputation as an authentic and deeply connected publication.

As the magazine celebrates its 100th issue, it remains dedicated to expanding its reach. Future goals include increasing its subscriber base, securing partnerships with organizations that uplift Black and Brown communities, and making The Soultown available in bookstores, newsstands, and convenience stores nationwide. “I want someone to walk into these big retail stores, pick up The Soultown, and see a familiar face inside—not a celebrity, but someone from their own community who is making a difference,” Kabba says.


Kabba envisions The Soultown becoming a household name: a ‘Town of Soul’ where Black and Brown communities can see themselves reflected in empowering ways. She dreams of a future where institutions, from unemployment and doctors’ offices to schools, make the magazine readily available as a source of inspiration.

With 100 issues under its belt, The Soultown Magazine truly stands as a testament to the power of storytelling. It is a publication born from passion, nurtured by community, and driven by the unwavering belief that Black and Brown stories deserve to be told—for the hope and pride they inspire today. And as it moves forward, The Soultown Magazine is proving one thing for certain: the best stories are yet to come.


Media Contact

Name: The Soultown Magazine Team

Email: chillin@thesoultownmagazine.com

PHOTO BY  JACOB CROWELL

Kabba holds a cover of the 100th issue of The Soultown Magazine.


Cherie 'Chillin' Kabba: Celebrating diversity, teaching tech

META HEMENWAY-FORBES meta.hemenway-forbes@ wcfcourier.com

WATERLOO — Poet, artist and youth advocate Cherie “Chillin’” Kabba splits her time between the Cedar Valley and the San Francisco Bay area, teaching technology to young people in both regions. In 2017, she founded The Soultown, “a community-based magazine that tells positive, realistic and in-depth stories impacting primarily the Black and brown communities.”


What drives you?

I do what I love. I am driven by Maya Angelou’s quote, “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.”


I am driven by things I do not know in the world of technology. I am driven by curious youth that have a desire to learn from me. I want them to know more than I know.


The speed of technology reminds me of the speed of a light rail train traveling hundreds of miles in just seconds. I don’t want to be on the platform waiting for the next new thing, blink, then run the risk of missing it. This is the reason I have chosen to return to the Silicon Valley to immerse myself in the field of technology, working with youth and a technology network with a plethora of techies with like minds. I am driven to learn new things. Then, return to Waterloo and share it with youth.


Just when I thought I had an understanding of virtual reality, I was on a plane headed to M.I.T. to be trained in the field augmented reality. I’ve seen how small steps can make a difference by improving and enhancing the tech skills of youth.


What was your biggest accomplishment in 2018?

Is it possible to measure the size of accomplishments? In 2018, I was given an opportunity to rejoin the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula (Menlo Park, Calif.) and the Clubhouse Network, an international community that provides technology education to underserved youth, while simultaneously leading the team of The Soultown Digital & Print Magazine in Waterloo.


We have successfully published 25 magazines. I have worked on many teams, but the dynamics of these teams are, by far, the most rewarding. This part of my life’s journey is about me going where I am celebrated, not tolerated. It is about balance. It is about being the best mother, grandmother, team player, friend, colleague — the best person I can be.


What are your goals for 2019?

My goals for 2019 center around me being intentional with what I create with the youth while retaining as much about new technologies as my mind will allow. goals include exposing youth to technology in a fun and fulfilling way. I want our youth to declare STEM-related majors during their first year in college. I’d love to coach a teen tech team that creates a project to exhibit at Maker Faire.


My goal for The Soultown Magazine, our virtual city, is to keep the Sankofa Promise I made to my ancestors in 2006. As I left the House of Slaves on Goree Island, off the coast of Dakar, Senegal, West Africa, I promised my ancestors that I would help to tell their stories so their great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren would know of them and their struggles. We are connecting our culture to our cyber and conscious communities. Each story is written from the heart and includes the depth of the writer’s soul.


What makes the Cedar Valley a great place for business/education?

The Cedar Valley is an untapped market, a good place for the impetus for product innovation or customization. However, when I returned a few years back, I realized the Cedar Valley is a manufacturing city first. Technology is a close second.


The bridge in the middle of Waterloo is a symbol of connections. The connections made via networking in the Cedar Valley are forever. Once the myths have been dispelled, common ground is established between the cultures, and the bonds built are endless. The most valued possession we have in the ... the Cedar Valley today is our networks and “circles.”


What’s a lesson you’ve learned in your career journey?

The 10 most valuable lessons I have learned in my career are:

1. The path I have chosen to be a Black, female entrepreneur blazing trails in literacy, technology and education is not easy. ... If it were easy, everyone would choose it.

2.Self-preservation is the first law of nature. Once I take care of myself, it becomes easier to take care of others.

3. I can help you build your dreams as long as I am building my dreams, too. Unsure of what your dreams are? I dare you to discover a passion project.

4. Seek first to understand, then be understood. Never assume a person can read your mind.

5. If you permit it, you promote it.

6. If someone wants my opinion, they will ask.

7. Don’t talk about it, be about it. My actions speak louder than my words.

8. I am a doer. Execution is the name of the game.

9. I know my strengths and I stay in my lane.

10. I go where I am celebrated, not tolerated.

PHOTO BY RUBY FONG

Kabba facilitates youth tech workshops, including programming robots like Kuri.


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