Rez Biz


Rez Biz is the title of an American monthly magazine initially distributed in Arizona and New Mexico. The magazine is targeted to Native Americans who are interested in running their own businesses and seeking success stories. Its goal is to improve the economic living conditions of Native Americans.

History

Rez Biz was founded in 2005 by George Joe and Michael Clani, both members of the Navajo Nation. The first print run of Rez Biz magazine was 25,000 copies in October 2005; over the next two years, 10,000 to 15,000 copies of the 24-page publication were published fourteen times while the publisher/editor was a full-time graduate student in English. Rez Biz is distributed freely, primarily in New Mexico and Arizona, and at its official website.
After the first year in circulation, Rez Biz won two journalism awards from the Native American Journalism Association in June 2007. The magazine is also used for instructional purposes in high schools and colleges with predominant Native student populations. It is used by University of New Mexico's Gallup campus as a teaching tool.