By Anya Shukla and  Dilinna Ugochukwu Kaiser Louis sees his artwork as a way to honor his family lineage. Louis, the son of a first-generation Haitian immigrant, uses art to explore his family’s immigration and reflect on his personal experiences. What does it mean, Louis asks through his pieces, to speak French, English, and Creole but have never visited Haiti? In what ways am I connected to my heritage, and in what ways am I separated? He expresses these dichotomies through collage: taking photos, modifying them slightly in Photoshop, then adding physical layers of transfer, waterc ..read more

Adrija Jana uses their artwork to raise awareness of issues they find important. Photo credit: Adrija Jana. By Dilinna Ugochukwu “I thought, I have a real connection with this,” said Adrija Jana (she/they), referring to refugee crises. “Why not take it up? Why not use my voice for these people?” Jana is an interdisciplinary Indian artist and activist who started writing in third grade, and their passion for the arts has only grown since. Now they are also drawn to film and theater, and their films have even been accepted to international film festivals. ​ Jana’s work carries a distinctive ar ..read more

By popular request, we recently put together a zine featuring writing from our 2022 summer and winter mentorship cohorts. These pieces primarily come from members of our writing cohorts, although all cohorts were welcome to submit work. You can view a digital version of the zine below ..read more

By Dilinna Ugochukwu As a 15-year-old scuba diver, computer science lover, activist, and environmentalist, Danielle Nelson (they/them) wears many hats. They incorporate several of these interests into their artwork, which features themes of social justice and environmentalism. Nelson started creating art from a young age and eventually began taking classes in and out of school, which helped them further their talent. Although they are still developing their art style, they aim to “make art that’s memorable… that you think of even after you’ve seen it.” Nelson enjoys playing with light and ..read more

In "Freshwater," the main character must reckon with the fact that she is both human and inhuman. Photo credit: Patrick Perkins on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla I started an internship this week, and now I’m super tired and have absolutely no will to do anything. So my reading comprehension has taken a bit of a tumble. Apologies if this review feels shorter and/or less… coherent than my previous pieces. Honestly, not sure how I can ever work a 9-5 job (and also have hobbies) if this feels like such a struggle right now. How does adulting work?? TW: rape, sexual assault. Review: Ever since birth ..read more

"Time Is a Mother" explores Ocean Vuong's relationship with his mother, who passed away of breast cancer in 2019. Photo credit: Aron Visuals on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla I love Ocean Vuong; I love Ocean Vuong; I love Ocean Vuong so much! I first came across his work after impulse-buying "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous," which is now one of my favorite books on this entire planet. His writing makes me feel every emotion in existence all at once.  I’ve read many books this year that feel aggressive in their grief. After reading these novels, heavy feelings just sit in my chest ..read more

Who gets to climb the social ladder in America? Photo by Jilbert Ebrahimi on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla This book has been on my to-read list for quite some time. I started it in January, and then my hold expired, which means that there was a six-month gap between my reading of the first and second halves of “Caste.” Please take my review with a grain of salt. This book also criticizes India. As a daughter of Indian immigrants, I'll admit that I am automatically predisposed to hate anything that attacks my homeland—even if the critique is accurate. I think it’s because I’ve spent most of my li ..read more

By Anya Shukla Specializing in intricate line work, gorgeous oil-on-canvas pieces, and eye-catching murals, Esmeralda Vasquez is a multidisciplinary artist who often incorporates symbolism and minimalism into her work. Vasquez grew up in Yakima, Washington, and now lives in Seattle, where she has recently begun breaking into the art scene: she had her first art show in February and works as a teaching artist for Urban ArtWorks, a local nonprofit that helps youth create public art. Q: How did you first get into art, and why do you create? A: I've been making art for as long as I can rememb ..read more

Machado likens her relationship to a dream house that soon turns into a nightmare. Photo credit: Krzysztof Kowalik on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla This book is stunning. Machado has a way of crafting similes and pulling disparate words together in such unique, poetic, gorgeous ways. I fangirled over basically every other sentence. Review: In “In the Dream House,” Carmen Maria Machado chronicles her relationship with an emotionally abusive woman—how their interactions devolved from something beautiful to an ugly and devastating situation. Along with providing personal anecdotes, she discusses the ..read more

A statue of Leoncio Prado, the hero whose name lives on in the Leoncio Prado Military Academy. By Anya Shukla There’s a lot of anti-Blackness and anti-queerness in this book. I can’t tell if this is a “sign of the times” or genuine commentary on racism/homophobia in Peruvian society… but either way, I don’t have to like it. If you want to read this book (and honestly, I’m not sure I would want to read this book after looking back over this review, but to each their own), be ready for some uncomfortable moments. Review: At Leoncio Prado, a Peruvian military academy, order and justice ostensib ..read more