There’s a new magazine in town and that should make a lot of women in the greater Grand Forks area very happy—because it is designed for them. Grand Cities Woman is the brainchild of Autumn Graber with support from her husband and UND alum, Kelly Graber.
Grand Cities Woman is a new, bi-monthly magazine highlighting local women and their inspiring stories. Graber came up with the idea for a women's' magazine while in college after seeing a copy of "Area Woman," a similarly-themed women's magazine for the Fargo community, on stands at a grocery store. "I picked up a copy and read it in my car. Read that magazine from cover-to-cover... and I knew right from that moment that I wanted to do something like that."
Graber sat on the idea for more than a dozen years, pursuing a career in communications and media, working as a television producer, and starting a family. Always in the back of her mind was the interest in doing something on her own. “I always wanted to work in the publishing world,” says Graber, “…I wanted to create something for my family that I had ownership of.”
After the birth of their second child, and while on maternity leave, she decided the time was ripe to act.
Their goal with the magazine is to inspire readers with stories about “real women” who may not get the attention they otherwise deserve. In addition to columns by guest writers and insightful commentary by their feature subjects, Graber often produces herself the magazine's elegant photography and layout design.
Every other month, Grand Cities Woman will tell the stories of women making a difference in their communities. In addition to feature stories and interviews with women leaders in the community, Grand Cities Woman also includes upcoming events that interest women and families in the Grand Forks area.
For three years the Grand Forks area has been without a women's magazine, ever since the Grand Forks Herald stopped publishing Red River Valley Women Today. Grand Cities Woman not only provides a needed voice in the community, but inspires all of us who dream of striking off on our own.
Craig Garaas-Johnson
News & Features Editor
Learn more about Grand Cities Woman by following them on Facebook!
Grand Cities Woman is available NOW on newstands at grocery stores in the Greater Grand Cities area.
Grand Cities Woman includes relevant articles for women of all ages, event and shopping guides, recipes, and features about local women. The first issue highlights JoAnn Brundin, Executive Director of St. Joseph’s Social Care and Thrift Store, who developed the Summer Lunch Program to help feed children of lower income families during summer vacation. The cover story highlights Michaela Schell, Greater Grand Forks Young Professional’s Network President and stay-at-home mom.
