Getting to know The Enemy

Online magazine for and by Winnipeg youth

Illustration by Gabrielle Funk

Have you ever thought Winnipeg is uneventful and uninspiring? Many Winnipeggers can form a preconceived idea about the city without taking the time to investigate all it has to offer. This apathy can lead to a feeling of resentment.

The creators of one online magazine, The Enemy, call this feeling “apathy zombification,” and it is exactly what motivates them to dig a little deeper in order to uncover and showcase “the bright sparks of culture this city has to offer.”

This anonymous group of Winnipeg youth in their early 20s started The Enemy in 2013. Although contributors can choose to have a byline, The Enemy staff remain anonymous because they believe it allows them to do more creative things with their work and their promotion.

“We’re a creative outlet. We do what we want, report on what we want, and for those who contribute, it allows us to have free range and report on cool stuff in Winnipeg,” one of the magazine’s creators says.

With content primarily focused on arts and culture, the magazine sets out to uncover the hidden gems of the city.

What started out as an opportunity to meet like-minded people soon transformed into something completely different. A platform to highlight and inspire youth was born.

“We came from different backgrounds, opposite ends of the city,” one Enemy contributor says. “We were all some sort of minority, whether that be sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, etc. and as we started doing things, others wanted to join.”

Articles published focus on topics ranging from sexism in Winnipeg, to elements of the infamous designer Ralph Lauren, to featured interviews of the local bands, businesses and people. This magazine sets no boundaries.

“We try to talk about things that people don’t talk about,” one creator says. “We will never put out traditional bullshit.”

With endless possibilities and a drive to uncover the underrepresented and underappreciated, The Enemy staff are taking strides to diminish the stereotypical perspective of Winnipeg that they believe many people currently hold.

The content on the site comes in the form of interviews, personal reflections and videos. Frequently featured pieces are their Monday Mixtapes, a compilation of current music recommendations, and Words of Wisdom, which they refer to on their website as “a periodic collection of the most thought-provoking, hilarious, and otherwise memorable phrases that blessed our ears throughout the week.” 

However, if you want a place to go the same day and time each week to read new content, this is not the place. Content publication has yet to have a set schedule, and, for now, The Enemy staff feels that’s for the best.

“We let the creative process flow. Timing is important, but none of our content is garbage content. We don’t need to be rushing and putting that out,” one of the creators says.

As a platform and a reminder as to why people stay in Winnipeg, The Enemy delivers a diverse and fresh perspective on the city’s art and culture scene.

The Enemy can be found at theenemy.ca as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Published in Volume 70, Number 25 of The Uniter (March 24, 2016)

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