BOSTON — May 1, 2012 –Amour Creole, the first national Caribbean-American magazine to hit newsstands, goes on sale today. The quarterly magazine covers lifestyle, fashion, beauty, culture, news, trends and events of particular interest to those of Caribbean descent.

Previously distributed via subscription only, the one-year-old magazine serves a population historically lumped into the category of African-American, said Amour Creole Publisher Esther Lafontant.

“Readers are thrilled for a publication that recognizes them as Caribbean-Americans, not just black or African American,” said Lafontant. She likens the release of the magazine to the early days of Ebony, Essence and Latina magazines.

Advertisers are also jumping on board, recognizing the Caribbean-American population has grown significantly in the last 30 years and identifies itself as distinct from the African-American market, she said.

Celebrities like Jason Derulo, Jimmy Jean Louis and Olivier Duret graced covers in the magazine’s first year. The magazine aims to capture readers with intimate celebrity interviews and in-depth reports on issues pertaining to Caribbean-Americans. Past and upcoming articles include: how to handle the demand of sending money to family members back in native countries, infidelity and polygamy in Caribbean relationships, current day Voodoo and the stigma surrounding Creole language.

Lafontant, a former model and single mother who emigrated from Haiti and now lives in the Boston area, said the rapid growth in the past year – from just a few subscriptions to already being a Caribbean-American household name – is dumbfounding.

“Caribbean-Americans have longed for a quality product to connect the wide-spread community,” she said. Lafontant said the magazine comes at a time when Caribbean-Americans are aggressively trying to maintain their heritage while simultaneously acclimating to the American lifestyle.

Amour Creole also features the website www.amourcreole.com which offers articles similar to the print magazine plus daily updates on news from native countries, changes in immigration policies and information on upcoming events in Caribbean-American communities scattered across the U.S.

“Amour Creole inspires Caribbean-Americans to create a better life for themselves and for their sisters and brothers back in their native countries,” said Lafontant. “It’s more than a magazine, it’s a celebration of our culture and it’s us finally having our voice heard.”

The magazine has a targeted circulation of over 3.5 million, and is available on newsstands across the U.S. and by subscription in Canada, Haiti, France, Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, Guyana and regions of Africa.