Change how you explore the world with BRIGHT Magazine's first ever book, “Tread Brightly.”
Project Description
But so often, that change comes through passive consumption. We consume culture, we consume plastic, we consume fun experiences while on the road.
How can we turn travel from consumption to an active exchange? Is it possible for our travel to leave a positive impact on the lives of others? Is it possible to travel better, more ethically?
Google “voluntourism,” and you’ll find hundreds of ways to “do good while you travel.” Teach English in China on your gap year. Join a short-term missions trip to Uganda. Stay at an eco-lodge in Costa Rica and clean beaches before surfing.
Welcome to BRIGHT Magazine’s first ever book, Tread Brightly. We’re putting together a collection of stories, essays, and photos that get to the heart of what it means to travel ethically.
We’ll investigate how to tell if that orphanage in Cambodia is pocketing your money. We’ll ask experts for their best advice on how to spend a gap year. We’ll publish gorgeous photos from eco-lodges and voluntourist sites from around the globe, which we hope will inspire you.
BRIGHT Magazine tells fresh stories about the world’s biggest problems for the people who want to solve them. We’re an award-winning nonprofit digital magazine based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Newspapers and magazines are full of news about corruption and wrongdoing, with a lesser focus on stories about constructive efforts to respond to social problems—even though audiences crave these stories.
For the last year, we’ve been covering under-reported topics like global health, education, gender, and poverty. And we do so with an eye to solutions. Our stories don’t just focus on problems, but also on the people who are working to solve them.
Storytelling matters. The stories the media chooses to focus on affect policy decisions, like how much to pay teachers and nurses. Stories affect how philanthropists spend their money. Stories affect how the United Nations intervenes in war zones. Stories affect career choices. The topics we cover deserve to be told right.
In addition to our digital magazine, which publishes three new stories a week, we also send a weekly newsletter to thousands of people who also believe in changing narratives about the topics and parts of the world we cover. Join our newsletter here.
This is our most ambitious project yet. With the funds raised on this campaign, we’ll be able to hire top journalists and photographers from around the world. Your contributions will allow us to publish these stories online and—for the first time!—in a beautiful book.
At BRIGHT, we believe storytelling shapes how we solve the world’s problems. Let’s do it better.
Here are our rewards:
Updates
The Project FAQs
What is BRIGHT Magazine?
BRIGHT Magazine tells fresh stories about the world’s biggest problems for the people who want to change them. We’re a digital magazine based in Nairobi, Kenya that tells creative, solutions-oriented stories about issues like health, education, gender, and poverty.
Well-told stories aren’t just nice. Damaging stereotypes can reduce people to clichés and influence policy outcomes, investments, and even military intervention. The topics we cover—health, education, gender, poverty—deserve to be told right. Narratives deserve to be changed.
We publish three pieces a week in our digital magazine, distribute a weekly curated newsletter, and run conversations on social media.
What is BRIGHT's editorial philosophy?
Here are the five storytelling principles that guide our work:
SOLUTIONS-ORIENTED - Many of our feature stories use the solutions journalism lens: rigorous reporting about responses to social problems.
CREATIVITY - Not all great stories are told as 1500-word features. We use a range of multimedia formats, like comics, photo essays, and infographics.
DIVERSITY - We feature contributors who represent a mix of demographics—gender, race, geography, age, socio-economic status.
JARGON-FREE - We do not use unnecessary jargon and believe strongly in making social issues approachable for all curious audiences.
PROVOCATION - We love running pieces that are deliberately provocative, sparking conversations rooted in serious debates.
Who does BRIGHT Magazine reach?
BRIGHT Magazine reaches up to 100,000 readers a month.
Most of our readers work in social good in some way—in multilateral organizations, social enterprises, and impact investing. We also reach many students who will soon enter careers in this space.
The bulk of our readers are young, between the ages of 18-34. Geographically, the U.S. comprises 40% of our current audience (the next 22% is split between India, Canada, and U.K.)
Why does BRIGHT care about ethical travel?
“Ethical travel” is now a thriving industry, with hundreds of options for travelers looking to do good on the road. But does it do as much good as it says it does? Can it be harmful? What are “ethical travelers” really looking for? What effect does voluntourism have on host communities? And most importantly, when we do travel, what are the most ethical ways to do it?
We know that many of you love traveling the world, and want to do so in a thoughtful and useful way. But we’ve seen so many people “do good” in ways that end up doing harm, like traveling to Indonesia after a tsunami with suitcases filled with teddy bears—only to find warehouses full of unused stuffed animals. Good intentions don’t always translate to good deeds.
We’re excited to produce the book “Tread Brightly,” which we hope will change the way you explore the world.
The book will be designed to be the perfect gift–whether to a graduating high school or college student, to a young professional who’s been itching to get out of their cubicle, or to a recent retiree who wants to explore the world.
A random act of kindness at any level you see fit. Thank you for your support!
We will offer our heartfelt thanks, from the bottom of our bright hearts, on Twitter, Instagram, and in our newsletter (along with the name of your business, if you so desire!).
Get a set of six Bright postcards featuring photographers and illustrators who have previously been featured in our award-winning magazine. Each set contains six 4”x6” postcards printed on premium eco-friendly paper.
Change how you explore the world with BRIGHT Magazine's first ever book, “Tread Brightly.” The book will consist of stories, essays, and photos that get to the heart of what it means to travel ethically.
The book will be 8”x10” and printed on the best eco-friendly paper we can find. It will be designed to be the perfect gift–whether to a graduating high school or college student, to a young professional who’s been itching to get out of their cubicle, or to a recent retiree who wants to explore the world.
What’s the use of a travel book without a way to carry it around? Inspired by our home base of Nairobi, Kenya, we’ve teamed up with a woman-run company here, Kangarui, and designed a custom BRIGHT Magazine tote bag on African wax print fabric, featuring our logo. The bag is 14”x16” with reinforced handles, and is built to be both sturdy and stylish.
Our best deal, built for the BRIGHT Magazine lover! Enjoy the book, the Brightest Tote, and a set of Bright postcards.
The best deal for gift-giving! Get five books for the price of four. Tread Brightly is the perfect gift, whether to a graduating high school or college student, to a young professional who’s been itching to get out of their cubicle, or to a recent retiree who wants to explore the world.
Have something to say, but aren’t sure if you’ve said it well? With this reward, our eagle-eye editorial team will closely edit a story you've written, fiction or non-fiction (up to 2,500 words). We’ll help you think through how to best structure your story and how to make sure every word counts.
With this reward, you will also receive a copy of “Tread Brightly,” a tote bag, and a set of postcards.
Select this reward, and we will prominently include your name on a Patrons page in the front of the book. With this reward, you will also receive three copies of “Tread Brightly,” three tote bags, and three sets of postcards.
Become a Silver Patron of “Tread Brightly.” Your generous support will help ensure this book isn’t the last ambitious project we undertake. We’ll prominently display your name, logo, and website on the Patrons page the book, and include a link to your website on www.brightthemag.com.
With this reward, you will also receive four copies of “Tread Brightly,” four tote bags, and four sets of postcards.
Sponsor a story in “Tread Brightly.” You will be able to speak with our editorial team to help shape a story in the book, on any topic related to ethical travel that matters to you. (Please note that final editorial decisions will be made by BRIGHT Magazine). Ethical travel takes a village, and we would love to have you along for the journey.
With this reward, you will also receive five copies of “Tread Brightly,” five tote bags, and five sets of postcards.
This is our corporate-level patronage, aimed at businesses that would be of interest to BRIGHT’s thoughtful, curious readers. BRIGHT Magazine’s team will sit down with you and will customize the patronage with you. Examples include:
-
A full-page spread in the book, including your name, mission statement, and website information
-
An opportunity to sponsor two stories in the book
You'll also receive six copies of “Tread Brightly,” six tote bags, and six sets of postcards.
Rewards
A random act of kindness at any level you see fit. Thank you for your support!
We will offer our heartfelt thanks, from the bottom of our bright hearts, on Twitter, Instagram, and in our newsletter (along with the name of your business, if you so desire!).
Get a set of six Bright postcards featuring photographers and illustrators who have previously been featured in our award-winning magazine. Each set contains six 4”x6” postcards printed on premium eco-friendly paper.
Change how you explore the world with BRIGHT Magazine's first ever book, “Tread Brightly.” The book will consist of stories, essays, and photos that get to the heart of what it means to travel ethically.
The book will be 8”x10” and printed on the best eco-friendly paper we can find. It will be designed to be the perfect gift–whether to a graduating high school or college student, to a young professional who’s been itching to get out of their cubicle, or to a recent retiree who wants to explore the world.
What’s the use of a travel book without a way to carry it around? Inspired by our home base of Nairobi, Kenya, we’ve teamed up with a woman-run company here, Kangarui, and designed a custom BRIGHT Magazine tote bag on African wax print fabric, featuring our logo. The bag is 14”x16” with reinforced handles, and is built to be both sturdy and stylish.
Our best deal, built for the BRIGHT Magazine lover! Enjoy the book, the Brightest Tote, and a set of Bright postcards.
The best deal for gift-giving! Get five books for the price of four. Tread Brightly is the perfect gift, whether to a graduating high school or college student, to a young professional who’s been itching to get out of their cubicle, or to a recent retiree who wants to explore the world.
Have something to say, but aren’t sure if you’ve said it well? With this reward, our eagle-eye editorial team will closely edit a story you've written, fiction or non-fiction (up to 2,500 words). We’ll help you think through how to best structure your story and how to make sure every word counts.
With this reward, you will also receive a copy of “Tread Brightly,” a tote bag, and a set of postcards.
Select this reward, and we will prominently include your name on a Patrons page in the front of the book. With this reward, you will also receive three copies of “Tread Brightly,” three tote bags, and three sets of postcards.
Become a Silver Patron of “Tread Brightly.” Your generous support will help ensure this book isn’t the last ambitious project we undertake. We’ll prominently display your name, logo, and website on the Patrons page the book, and include a link to your website on www.brightthemag.com.
With this reward, you will also receive four copies of “Tread Brightly,” four tote bags, and four sets of postcards.
Sponsor a story in “Tread Brightly.” You will be able to speak with our editorial team to help shape a story in the book, on any topic related to ethical travel that matters to you. (Please note that final editorial decisions will be made by BRIGHT Magazine). Ethical travel takes a village, and we would love to have you along for the journey.
With this reward, you will also receive five copies of “Tread Brightly,” five tote bags, and five sets of postcards.
This is our corporate-level patronage, aimed at businesses that would be of interest to BRIGHT’s thoughtful, curious readers. BRIGHT Magazine’s team will sit down with you and will customize the patronage with you. Examples include:
-
A full-page spread in the book, including your name, mission statement, and website information
-
An opportunity to sponsor two stories in the book
You'll also receive six copies of “Tread Brightly,” six tote bags, and six sets of postcards.