When we released our first digital issue last winter, AoD Magazine was just a bold idea—a space for emerging voices, creative narratives, and cultural storytelling that refused to fit inside a box. Today, I write to you with both excitement and deep gratitude as we celebrate a major milestone: our second issue and our very first print edition.

This moment is made possible by every subscriber, reader, repost, and word of encouragement we received. You are a part of the AoD story—and this is only the beginning.

Since our launch, we've grown in ways both intentional and transformative. We’ve welcomed a new Vice President, Jamin McBain, whose strategic leadership is helping us expand our editorial footprint. We’ve also partnered with Shepherd NYC, whose design expertise has brought new depth and vision to our storytelling.

This issue, themed Shifting Paradigms, explores what it means to disrupt, reimagine, and rebuild. It’s a celebration of the individuals and ideas pushing culture forward by refusing to follow the rules.

Our cover story features James Vaughters, a professional athlete and multi-hyphenated creative who is rewriting the narrative between fashion and football. His evolution—on and off the field—embodies the very essence of what it means to shift paradigms with purpose, style, and vision.

Also highlighted in this issue is Tariq Oliver, a contemporary artist born in Lagos, Nigeria, and raised in London, now based in the U.S. Through bold, textured works featured in global exhibitions—from Dallas Art Fair to Soho, New York—Tariq is redefining how we perceive identity, memory, and storytelling on canvas. We spotlight Suite Eleven, a Brooklyn-based vegan nail salon reshaping beauty standards through sustainability, and Do Not Disturb (DND), a boutique health spa cultivating curated experiences for rest, ritual, and renewal.

Each of these stories reflects a shift—in thought, in design, in the way we live and dream.

As we continue to grow, I invite you to go deeper with us. Our brand-new Member Portal is now live and accessible to all subscribers, offering exclusive editorial content, behind-the-scenes moments, monthly Insider Conversations, and early access to events and experiences designed with our community in mind.

Thank you for walking with us, for reading, sharing, and believing. The paradigm is shifting—and we’re just getting started.

With love and appreciation,