In their fairy-inspired party, seniors of Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (BAJ) 1D unleashed the spectrum of colors as they formally launched the 25th volume of iCommunicate, Kolorete, at The Green Lemon Events Place in Marikina City on Friday, March 15.
(Photo by Aperture Box Production)
Composed of 96 pages and divided into several sections such as feature, community, and lifestyle, the magazine followed its tagline, “owning spaces, mothering the spotlight,” as it pursued its theme, “Queers in the scene,” to highlight the vibrant stories inside the LGBTQIA+ community.
Kolorete featured on its cover several stars such as viral TikTok star Queen Mathilda Airlines, Transmedia storyteller Serena Magiliw, Artist-activist Albert Raqueño, Drag Queen Pura Luka Vega, first Transwoman Best Actress Iyah Mina, and current PUP Student Regent Miss Kim Modelo, shedding light on their respective fields and highlighting the continuous struggle for genuine queer visibility.
“Ganito pala 'yung pakiramdam na you are seeing in front of you na nagma-materialize 'yung isang konsepto na dati ay malabo lang sa utak mo, then boom!” expressed by Kolorete's Managing Editor Marilag Odtohan in her opening remarks.
Odtohan revealed that the concept of Kolorete had traversed her mind when her literary piece appeared first in Hiraya, the 18th volume of iCommunicate, the official magazine of the College of Communication (COC) produced by Department of Journalism (DOJ) seniors as one of their final requirements, which was released during the pandemic.
“Lagi kong sinasabi na marami naman ng kuwento tungkol sa mga beki, bakla, baklush, at bading. Pero hindi ibig sabihin ng marami ay nasasakop na rin lahat ng mga kuwento. Sa kabila kasi nito, nandiyan pa rin ang responsibilidad natin na igpawan ang pamimilit na manampalataya ang mga bakla sa kodigo raw ng isang kagalang-galang na kasarian,” she further explained in her speech.
“Kaya ang Kolorete ay isang patunay na igapos man ang mga bakla sa anong katuruan at pangaral, lagi silang aangat upang angkinin ang kanilang mga kuwento,” Odtohan proclaimed as she, afterward, mentioned that the magazine is a ‘love letter’ to people who contributed and made it possible, particularly BAJ 4-1D and the COC faculty, headed by advisers Prof. Jairo Bolledo and Asst. Prof. Cherry Pebre.
Odtohan concluded her message with a dedication to the ordinary queers, known pioneers, and figures who have largely impacted and served the community.
”This is for all the queers who mothered the spotlight. Sa mga bumuo ng entablado para mahagkan ang ningning ng bawat bakla. Naniniwala akong hindi rito nagtatapos ang ating pagrampa. Tanganan ang Kolorete, at sabay-sabay nating abutin ang hangganan ng bahaghari,” Odtohan proudly stated.
Alongside this, Kolorete’s Editor-in-Chief (EIC), John Robert De Castro detailed the struggles of the class in the conceptualization of the magazine as 4-1D delved into different themes, but eventually “birthed” Kolorete as many in the block are members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“Ito ay higit sa dugo, sa pawis, sa mga gabing hindi tayo makatulog dahil sumusulat tayo ng mga artikulo. Itong magazine na ito ay bunga ng ating halos limang buwan na pagpupunyagi sa larangan ng pagsulat. At higit sa lahat, ‘yung ating pakikibaka sa isang lipunang pantay, sa isang lipunang malaya, at isang lipunang tanggap ang anumang kasarian, maging bakla ka man, lesbiyana, transgender, o biseksual, o kung ano man ang iyong pagkilala sa iyong sarili,” he stated.
The EIC added that an inclusive and accepting society would not manifest if they did not join the fight against the present one in which people are confined in a space filled with exploitation and abuse. De Castro hoped that the magazine’s advocacy would translate into the streets and other forms than writing as they are PUPians, who he declares, those who are shaping a liberating future.
Furthermore, Bolledo commented how Kolorete “wove all the stories that matter and should matter was truly remarkable and over the rainbow.”
The advisor also described the magazine, “The stories embodied all the tenets of journalism from fairness to justice. But what Kolorete set apart is how it played [with] the dims of colors without neglecting the most important aspect of truth-telling: pro-people journalism.”
“Truly, representation matters and Kolorete went on and beyond. You gave queers and the rest of the LGBTQIA+ community not just a space to express themselves, but [also] a page in our history that will immortalize their struggles and remarkable contributions to our society,” he remarked to the class.
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