Jet magazine returns with cover star Pinky Cole

Growing up, Jet magazine was a staple in the Black community. Founded in 1951 with the tagline “the weekly Negro news magazine,” copies of Jet magazine could be found in any Black hair salon, barbershop, and on almost every Black family’s coffee table. Now, nearly nine years after printing its last physical copy, Jet magazine is back in print, with Pinky Cole, CEO & founder of Slutty Vegan, as its cover star. 

Slutty Vegan CEO and founder on the cover of Jet magazine. (Photo courtesy of Jet magazine)

“I am so thrilled to be featured on the cover of Jet!” said Cole in a press release. “Ever since I was a little girl, I grew up reading every inch of every issue that I could get my hands on. Now here I am on the cover and as their iconic ‘Beauty of the Week.’ This moment is so personal and special to me because, in many ways, Jet helped shape who I wanted to become and who I am now.” 

Cole, the restaurateur behind the Slutty Vegan movement, is known for popularizing vegan meals in the Black community through her vegan comfort food and recipes. Since opening her business in 2018, Cole’s vegan burger chain has grown tremendously, with outlets in Georgia, New York, and Alabama. In this special collector’s issue of Jet, Cole shares her journey of building a $100 million-dollar vegan empire, redefining the American Dream, influencing culture, and advocating for Black entrepreneurs through the Pinky Cole Foundation. 

Daylon A. Goff, the president of Jet, explained how the collaboration with Cole stemmed from a random conversation last summer at a concert. 

“I mentioned that I’m a fan of her movement, and she mentioned that she’s always dreamed of being in Jet,” Goff shared in a press release.  “[…] we thought that this limited collector’s issue is a great way to fuel and ignite our combined audiences with this partnership.” 

Jet magazine has a longstanding history of documenting Black culture and offering an authentic perspective on the Black experience in America. Over the last 72 years, the publication founded by John H. Johnson and currently owned and operated by the Bridgeman Family has made both historical and cultural impacts with its work. 

“Jet is like family, and people tell me frequently that they miss Jet coming to their house every week. But because of technology, the weekly print magazine business model doesn’t make as much sense now as it did 25 years ago, hence the reason Jet ceased printing in 2014,” said Goff. 

Being the first Jet sold in stores since 2014, this limited-edition copy makes this collaboration even more special. So, take a break from digital scrolling and pick up a copy at any of the retailers listed here. 

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