Fanfiction Should Not Be the Only Place for LGBTQ+ Representation

By Logan Ward Depictions of diverse characters experiencing joy is essential to include in publishing. Fiction can be more than storytelling that reflects morals and cultural norms, it can also serve as an opportunity to show an ideal world. To envision what utopia may look like, we need supportive friendships, thoughtful jokes, and examples of welcoming environments.  In 2024, our cultural consciousness is finally aware of the challenges faced by minorities. And now fiction has Read more…

Disability is Diversity: The Case for Reading Outside Comfort Zones

By Ember-Reece Richardson I love reading. It’s a way for me to destress after a long day, spend some time in my imagination, and become inspired by legends and stories that I one day hope to share with future generations. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably seen the videos and essays on the benefits of reading diversely.  With teachers and librarians remarking on high rates of illiteracy among the next generation and the skyrocketing Read more…

Neurodivergence

By Haley Brock Imagine someone was born with malformed hips that prevent them from walking. Everyone says they are not disabled and refuses to label them as such. They have to wear traditional shoes, walk up and down stairs, and participate in PE. They are denied mobility aids, elevators, ramps, or any assistance devices that may help them with essential tasks like driving a car or going to the grocery store. The people around this Read more…

Romance Contest Runner-Up: Best Cakes in Town ⚡️

by Sarah Hart “No, one and three-fourths of a cup of flour,” I said, enunciating the number this time. “That’s a one-cup and a three-fourths cup.” “I do know math, Lila,” Matthias pointed out as he pawed through the different measuring cups, finally selecting the correct two. “But you said one three-fourths, not one and three-fourths.”  “Did not!” I rolled my eyes at him, gesturing to the laminated recipe card in my hand. “I read Read more…

Lungs

by Elisa Davidson The dead are always starving. Craving our food, our love, everything that fills us up and keeps us warm at night. The gnawing hunger that filled them in life reaches out and snatches them from peaceful release, dragging them back into the world of the living. They become shells of who they were, aimlessly searching for the one thing that could release them from endless torment. On the third day of that Read more…