At first glance, the role of ambassador may register as a government official or notable spokesperson, but north of 110th Street, one Harlem native has been laser-focused on redefining the word for the last six years.
After crossing the half decade mark this June, Ambassador Digital Magazine’s founder and editor-in-chief (EIC), Musa Jackson, hosted a soirée to celebrate what has been done and what is to come. A Harlem native known for staying informed and connecting the dots, Jackson is also a former model, fashion contributor, and uptown socialite with long-standing relationships in every industry one can name.
For Jackson, the role of ambassador was never just a textbook definition; it had to be visual. In 2019, like many, he had no idea an incoming pandemic would flip the world upside-down, but committed to flipping things around as well and birthed an independent publication despite a global shutdown.
The inkling to liven the editorial space was inherently risky, given the times, but giving esteemed creative professionals their flowers seemed to be the hope that Jackson and the creative community could use. “I understand my role in this community … I’m one of the messengers,” he said. As EIC, he remains responsible for curating cover stars and working with creatives to capture and tape photoshoots, interviews, and social content. Over the past six years, Ambassador has expanded their community, and attendees of the celebration listened in for an hour and a half of guests invited one by one to “say a little something” on the mic.
Former cover stars, award winners, entrepreneurs, supermodels, and more praised Ambassador and received their flowers from Jackson, too. The celebration, held at Red Rooster, is where the next chapter, “Ambassador Travel,” was announced. An individual there from the beginning, lead creative director and co-founder Paul Morejon said that during the early stages, “Musa had the idea … and at the time Ambassador Magazine was taken, so he had to take Ambassador Digital Magazine.” Despite the middle name, Jackson was not intimidated by turning the magazine toward pre-digital days and reference cultural trailblazers of the ’80s, ‘90s, and beyond.
Marielle Bobo, former EIC of Ebony magazine, reminded us that “having a strong POV [point of view] really sets the tone. It’s how viewers experience the brand … Musa having a background in fashion and being a model … makes what he does so special.”
With much potential ahead, Jackson shows no signs of slowing down from his mission to keep things real and to put readers informed. “I see people and I want to make sure our icons, our legends, tastemakers, our changemakers are seen, given their flowers. I had to give them their flowers. I’m built like that — that’s just the way I am.”
Visit ambassadordigitalmag.com for more info.
