Dear friends,

 

In June, our sense of stability was upended even more than in the preceding months: On top of the ongoing pandemic, protests rose across the world in response to the murder of George Floyd, and our collective notion of what is normal was further destabilized. Though this has been jarring in a multitude of ways, it has also inspired us to reflect deeply, in both a collective and personal sense, on the pernicious systems we are all a part of. As with the pandemic, pain and suffering have inevitably led us to question whether what is normal is at odds with what is just.

 

Now we’re experiencing community in new ways, still limited by proximity but united by a sense of collective action. For July, we encourage you to reflect on how your sense of belonging has evolved this past month. How have the protests changed your relationship to the groups you’re a part of, or the community you grew up in, or even the country you call home? How does it feel to have your social life expand now that your circle includes more members than just your isolation buddies? And what are the joys or the fears linked to growing outward again and leaving your home more regularly?

 

Over the past few weeks, we have been especially proud to publish pieces that examine the individual contributor’s relationship to the greater community, including Tina Tona’s collage series, “Burn Baby Burn”, Ruth Mckenzie-Milner’s vivid illustrations of the Hong Kong protests in “Amplifying The Sound”, and Alexis Lehman’s halting imagery of the formation of Seattle’s Capitol Hill Organized Protest.

 

As we move forward with sharing content this month, we are interested in publishing pieces that speak to this current moment, which feels universal in many ways. We’d especially like to encourage BIPOC writers and artists who want to contribute to submit pieces about how this time is shaping them and the way they see the world. We would love to use our platform to help uplift these voices.  

 

Sending you lots of love,

 

Anna & Alia