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After owning and operat-ing my own business here in CO for almost 2 years dealing with all of the ups and downs I really feel like if you can make it here you can make it anywhere. I feel like if I can make it through a near death motor vehicle accident I can make it through any situation. I also feel like I can relate to the man on the cover this month in that way. Coming from the harsh real-ity of the Marcy Projects to becoming an International icon, Jay-Z also feels like he can make it through any situ-ation. Since Jay-Z is making a rare appearance in the Mile High City this month its only right he gets the cover. This month we also have an intriguing piece on local artist/poet Lucifury and an interesting article on the aftermath in Haiti by Anto-nio Valenzuela. As always we have another local beauty for FLY Girl Of The Month, Maylene April Visaya and some nice original colorful flavor in the 2FLY section. Please enjoy.

God Bless,

Brandon EubanksEditor-In-Chief

{ Letter from the Editor }

I know most of you are as excited as I am about spring being around the corner. I am ready and looking forward to the new season, new ideas, and new partnerships. Here at FLY Media, we have started 2010 very motivated to increase and strengthen our coverage of Colora-do’s Urban Network. Our aim has always been and continues to be the most efficient tool to bridge the information gap that ex-ists in our community. If there is a story, artist, and/or business you feel deserves to get recognition within FLY Magazine/303live.com, please send us your ideas to flymedia@ya-hoo.com. The FLY Magazine’s fashion department is also looking for aspir-ing male and female models from diverse backgrounds. We are very excited to provide an excellent op-portunity for models seeking to build their portfolio, gain experience with a professional photographer, and be featured in FLY Magazine.

Thank You

Yoseph AssefaPublisher

{ Letter from the Publisher }

FLY Magazine is printed monthlyby Fly Media LLC

P.O. Box 200697 Denver CO. 80220303.863.9999

www.303live.cominfo@flymagazine.us

www.twitter.com/fly_magazine

StaffContributing Writers: Antonio Valenzuela, Calandra Hicks, Cameron Cowan, Coral King

Eudaimonia Green, Maxine Ross, Tamara Mohamed, Thal Woods303live.com Creative Director: Dondrae Mills

Promotions: Fresh Wun ProductionsFashion Editors: Argyle, Paisley and Polka Dots

Photography: Jason Hayes Photography, Dawit AliFront Cover & Story/Graphic Design: Langston AnthonyArticle Layout/2 FLY/Editorial/Design: (in)Spire Graphics

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18Photography: Hayesfoto.comMake-Up: Christina Marie

Styled By: Argyle, Paisley and Polka DotsModels - David Lee Reed, Mac Atlea, Nadia Gonzales

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Citing Global Warming, the UN has not allowed any third world country including Haiti to privately own industry. Many raw materials are shipped from Haiti and are assembled elsewhere, giving the country little money and sovereignty to fight disease and hunger. Statistics say that over 80% of the population lives in poverty and this has resulted in slavery, forcing many people to assume jobs as unpaid house servants. Most people live off a reported 2 dollars a day. How did the first country to abolish slavery resort back to the degrading position of serfdom? Only half of the population is illiterate and almost all of the college graduates emigrate from the country leaving no natural born educated leaders to help the island. This leaves uneducated people more

susceptible to misleading rulers and interference from other countries. Deforestation has become a huge problem in the last couple of decades. As the country desperately tries to create income, lumber companies cut down the dwindling amount of forest left which leaves the topsoil with nothing to hold on to. The lack of tress has left the country more vulnerable to storms and hurricanes causing flash floods and mudslides during these storms. In 2008 Haiti was hit by four different hurricanes; Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike. Overcoming adversity is what has made this country, and the people are very strong willed and ready to fight for their country’s survival. The earthquake of 2010 destroyed many of the major buildings including the Presidential Palace, Parliament and the National Cathedral. The quake also affected several medical centers, and the control towers for both the seaport and airport. Major roads were also damaged which has made it hard for the UN Food Program to get assistance to certain areas of the island. Also fiber optics and communications were severely

damaged which knocked out most of the radio stations adding to the chaos. The Haitian government estimates that over 230,000 deaths already. The injuries and missing people reports are racking up. One of the major problems with the Haitian earthquake has very little to do with the quake itself. There are no building codes in Haiti which leaves tons of room for people to build houses out of almost anything. The aftermath has left over 100,000 homeless and people living on the streets and living in squalid encampments where the food and drinking water is scarce or there is none at all. Forces all over the world are trying to get food and water to the survivors. Because of these food and water shortages, The U.N. has sent over 3,500 peacekeepers to keep the violence to a minimum. The rebuilding efforts have been estimated to cost from $7-13 billion. Forces are already vying for the rebuilding occupation of Haiti, with American Soldiers already policing the streets. The question of will the push for giving to charities for the devastated country resort in a change of policy that will actually change the social structure of the country or will it continue to be forgotten and manipulated on the world stage?

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