Intro

When considering topics for this year, a specific submission from the previous year drew our attention: Where is Your Accent From? by author N. Luna. It captured a nuanced reality to many — the sentiment of being a complex mix of our experiences, origins, upbringing, exposure, peculiar interests, and various other elements that define who we are.

Recognizing this as a subject we wanted to explore collectively to gain a deeper understanding of these complexities, we carefully selected works that truly deliver on that exploration. Our artists and authors convey the idea that being ourselves doesn't necessarily have to make sense to anyone but us, and at times, not even to ourselves. We are the products of our experiences: survivors of colonialism, bearers of joy embracing our wholeness, and unique threads contributing to the beautiful tapestry ofour identity.

We celebrate our complex identities and create space to continually explore, build, and redefine them as we progress thin this journey called life.

Artist Roselynn Hernandez