We live in an age where we can regularly witness people doubling down against each other in the halls of Congress or on a Facebook post or in the parking lot of the grocery store. That’s why bringing so many people together to create and present this Fall 2018 issue of VoiceCatcher feels so good. Together, we stand as a proud example of collaboration.
There’s the bravery of every person who submits their work, knowing the keen eyes of our editors will review it. Then there’s the lively discussions amongst editors as they select their favorites and then work with authors either to offer feedback or to help bring a piece to its best version. There’s the whirlwind of emails that happen between the managing editors, the editorial teams, and the president of the VoiceCatcher board as the publication date nears. And there’s the collaboration that happens between VoiceCatcher and the community at large, raising funds and setting up readings in order to expand the opportunities to celebrate a rich variety of voices, including those too often left in the margins.
It’s fitting that in amongst these bright voices, revealing their particular take on subjects from motherhood and friendship to grief and violence, there are the works of two mixed media artists whose pieces are collaborations of paper, ink, and wax. May each of our lives find those spaces where disparate elements come together into something vibrant and whole. May this issue of VoiceCatcher be one of those places for you. Thank you for your support.
Tracy Burkholder and Alison Cantrell
Managing Editors