"I've always had a deep love for community papers. I've always felt that community publications are a social glue that brings us closer.” Those are the words of Lali Safavi, the Publisher of SkirtSoFlo.
The new publication is woman owned and operated with the goal of serving the LGBTQ community through news of the arts, literature, food, music, and other things that make life in South Florida worth living.
Safavi moved here from D.C. during the pandemic, and it was during that extended amount of free time that she began to envision what would become Skirt.
“I grew up in the DC area where we had, and still have, some incredible community magazines and newspapers like Metro Weekly, The City Paper and The Washington Blade,” she said. “Growing up, those publications were part of our community and played an integral role in informing and entertaining us.”
She is joined by Managing Editor Pamela Bausher and Marketing Director Diane Pappafotis.
Their goal is to fill a social need in the women’s community.
“I was always hearing about how socially scattered the women's community is here, that it wasn't as active and organized as the men's community. Diane and I had kicked around the idea of starting something, a magazine, a resource, to try and bring women together socially and give them a stronger sense of community.”
Safavi isn’t the first person to describe the lesbian community as potentially strong but spread out and scattered. She and her team know they can help bring communities together.
"There is a diverse, creative and inquisitive LGBTQ+ women's community in South Florida. Through the stories we share in the magazine, we want to celebrate our lives and history, and inspire our community. We hope they like what we're doing."
SkirtSoFlo just published its second issue and, like all good publications, will be a work in progress as it grows with the community.
“As with any creative endeavor, all we can do is create what we find interesting, what we love, to the best of our ability, and hope that people will like it. Our work will resonate with some and not others, and that's fine. We always encourage and welcome contributions and feedback from our community so that we can create a better product for them. At the end of the day, it is their magazine and meant to reflect their lives and interests."
In the end, Safavi and company are doing this to make a stronger community.
“Our vision and mission is for Skirt to be that in the South Florida LGBTQ+ women's community. It is very much a labor of love."
