A groundbreaking new national magazine, titled 3, is set to hit the shelves on September 3, with a focus on telling stories for and about Canadian immigrants and “third culture kids.” The magazine’s mission is to challenge stereotypes and reshape perceptions of newcomers in Canada, according to its co-founder and publisher, Muraly Srinarayanathas.
A magazine for ‘Third Culture Kids’
The name 3 is a nod to “third culture individuals,” a term that refers to people who are influenced both by their parents’ culture and the culture in which they are raised. This includes those who live in a different country than their parents’ or their own nationality, or who grew up in a place that isn’t their birth or ancestral country.
Srinarayanathas, who himself embodies the third culture identity, has Sri Lankan-Tamil heritage, was born in the U.K., and moved to Canada as a child. “Canada is the creator and nurturer of third culture kids,” he remarked in an interview, emphasizing that the magazine’s content will reflect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of immigrants in Canada.
Challenging stereotypes Amid rising immigration
Srinarayanathas hopes that 3 will offer a platform to challenge stereotypes about immigrants, especially in light of the recent surge in newcomers to Canada. According to Statistics Canada, the country’s population grew by 3.2% in 2023, the highest rate since 1957, with 97.6% of that growth attributed to immigration. In 2023 alone, 471,771 immigrants settled in Canada.
“There are many newcomers that come here that are wealthy, that are professionals, and I think the missed opportunity for Canada is we treat them all as if they only have $10 in their pocket,” Srinarayanathas noted. He believes the magazine will help highlight the contributions and potential of immigrants, who are often misunderstood or underestimated.
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First issue and content focus
3 magazine is being positioned as a “luxury lifestyle” quarterly, featuring in-depth profiles and political commentary. The debut cover story will spotlight Abdullah Snobar, the executive director of DMZ and CEO of DMZ Ventures, tech startup incubators affiliated with Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Snobar, who moved to Canada as a child from Amman, Jordan, represents the kind of success story that 3 aims to showcase.
Srinarayanathas pointed out that Snobar could have taken his business elsewhere, but chose Toronto as his base. “As a responsible Canadian citizen, he is giving back to Canada,” Srinarayanathas said. “I think that’s a responsibility that we all have. There are many challenges here in Canada. It’s on us to take on those challenges and ensure that the next generation has the life that we had.”
A publication long overdue
3 magazine is the latest release from St. Joseph Communications, one of Canada’s largest privately-owned print, media, and communications companies. The magazine is also published in collaboration with 369 Global Inc., an international conglomerate with business interests in various sectors, where Srinarayanathas serves as executive chairman.
Chris Radley, executive director of Magazines Canada, a national association of publishers, lauded the magazine’s mandate, calling it “brilliant.” She noted that while magazines may not generate as much newsstand revenue as they did before the internet age, readership in Canada remains strong, with 54% of Canadians still reading print magazines. Radley highlighted that many publications have adapted by producing content for both digital and print formats to reach wider audiences.
For 3‘s editor-in-chief, Stacy Lee Kong, the launch of the magazine is a long-overdue development. “Reflecting those experiences, reflecting those identities, reflecting those stories, we should have been doing it all along,” she said. “We’re catching up is what we’re doing.”
As 3 magazine prepares to launch, it stands poised to fill a crucial gap in Canadian media, offering a fresh perspective on the lives of immigrants and third culture individuals, and challenging the stereotypes that have long overshadowed their stories.
