Anthe Mitrakos, editor of Portes Magazine, preserves the Greek spirit through an inspiring journey into Hellenic culture

Portes is a collection of carefully curated sophisticated and fun stories, photographs and artwork celebrating Hellenic culture, history and art. The annual hand-numbered, limited edition of 999 copies is printed in full color in beautiful Greece. The Portes collection features words and images by passionate people to whom Greece is a muse. Portes is published by the Ariston Foundation for Hellenic Culture & Art and distributed to supporters of the foundation’s mission and projects. 

What about the highlights of your journey and the key steps that have brought you to where you are today

I studied journalism, marketing, management and international business in Chicago. In my career as a communications and marketing expert, I have served companies and organizations in various sectors including technology, banking, media, health care, energy and academia. I love telling stories, and I love print. One of my proudest moments was in 2024 when I was honored as “Emerging Leader of the Year” and ambassador for Hellenic Culture * Art by the U.S.-based Alpha Omega Council. 

The story behind the discovery of Portes magazine’s creative perspective, how the initial idea was born and how it evolved over time

Over a decade ago, my sister and I combined our studies and love for Greece, storytelling, and art to launch our passion project Portes. Initially, we started with the goal of bringing an authentic piece of Greece back to the Greek-American community. Since then, our Portes family has grown globally, inspiring people well beyond the community we first wished to address. This is something I am immensely proud of and gives me the motivation to continue discovering such wonderful people and exchanging inspirational stories with them.

What is your relationship with publishing, how did the creation of Portes magazine come about, and what is its goal?

I grew up surrounded by books, and as a child enjoyed listening to my elders telling stories. Growing up I “published” a household newspaper filled with family news. When I was thirteen, I illustrated a comic series based on Aesop’s fables for a local Greek-American newspaper. In high school and university, I was involved in any and every school-run publication, radio station and website in existence. I graduated as “Senior of the Year” from the School of Journalism having completed seven media-related internships.  

I suppose one could say I always loved creating art, collecting stories, and print. I learned what I know working early on with some of the most esteemed print and broadcast journalists in the States. Looking back, working in the newsrooms of downtown Chicago during a time of transition and “print is dead” mindset was quite the experience. Ironically, when we launched Portes, we had no web presence, just print. 

Today, we publish a sophisticated and fun annual collection of carefully curated stories, art and photos in a limited edition collector’s book. Portes is proudly printed in Greece in 999 copies, and is distributed to supporters of the book’s publisher, the Ariston Foundation for Hellenic Culture & Art. 

Focusing on Greece, which aspects do you believe best represent its most important values?

Greece’s natural beauty has forever inspired its inhabitants and those who passed through. From shaping clay drawn from the earth into art and everyday objects, to developing an inquisitive seafaring culture guided by the sea, nature has continuously fueled creativity and innovation. This deep connection between land, sea, and people also nurtured a lasting thirst for knowledge seen in the pursuit of philosophy, science, and the arts. These combined influences have shaped values such as curiosity, adaptability, community, and respect for heritage, which continue to define Greece today.

What is it like for Greeks living abroad to maintain a connection with their country through a magazine?

Certain types of people truly appreciate and adore the “Portes effect,” or in other words, the feeling they get when they flip through its pages. They embark on a journey of inspiration. I am so happy to be part of this. 

What kind of feedback do you receive from your audience regarding your work, and how does it help you grow and evolve?

I am always amazed and humbled by the effect Portes has on people. A young woman born and raised in Greece recently told me “You made me fall in love with Greece.” My hair stood up. A Greek-American lady after receiving Portes in the mail told me I inspired her to book her ticket to Greece for that week. The countless times people have said they were inspired by the story collection in Portes to start a project, engage with people, go on a new journey. This to me is priceless. It also brings me joy when people tell me they love the book’s design and aesthetics, as it is indeed created as a piece of art to cherish. 

In what way do you feel your aesthetic is evolving through Portes?

I am an artist at heart. And just as artwork evolves over an artist’s journey, so has the design of Portes. I enjoyed each iteration, as each one has been a true reflection of myself at the time it was created. No matter how it evolves, Portes will always be a mix of sophistication and fun.