Introduction

Mixed Media by Maame Marful

Darkness has always been a space that makes us uncomfortable. We're conditioned to seek light, to chase the warmth of the sun. Society celebrates those who are “a ray of sunshine” or “a smile thatlights up a room.”We're constantly encouraged to hide our darkness, so much so that we forget it, too, can be a sourceof power. It is in darkness that we confront the undeniable parts of ourselves, and in that space, weare most authentic. In this issue, we aim to explorethat forgotten side and let it shine.The work on these pages reminds us that our souls are tethered to darkness, andby exploring it outwardly, we can free ourselves from the expectation to always be love and light—and perhaps, just perhaps, find love in the darkness too.We want to thank every single one of the contributors in this issue, for theirbravery in digging into the darkness and sharing it with us. This issue wouldn'thave been possible if it hadn't been for the courage you show in your work