This issue marks the tenth anniversary of Solstice and our first annual print issue! Ten years ago, The Solstice Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, funded our independent, online journal. Now we have an award-winning online/print publication with a staff of thirty volunteer writers and photographers.
Our awards include: An essay by Baron Wormser chosen for The Best American Essays 2018; cited Notable Essays in The Best American Essays 2015 and 2016; a Pushcart Prize finalist in poetry in 2017; a local Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant; and a Best of the Net Award.
But even more vital than awards, we continue to promote our mission of publishing the voices of well-known writers and writers on-the-margins. We have adapted the Associated Writing Programs description of diversity to include writers of varied religions, national origins, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, political beliefs and socioeconomic status.
We have published authors from Australia to Africa, from the Ukraine to Iran, from Lagos to Poland, from Mexico to Minnesota, from Puerto Rico to New York City, from Haiti to Hawaii. Also, we publish poetry-in-translation and performance poetry. In addition, we have published two print anthologies, each titled Solstice Selects.
Special thanks to our editors for this print publication: Richard Hoffman, Nonfiction Editor; Stephen Dunn, Guest Poetry Editor; and Ben Berman, Poetry Co-Editor. Also welcome to Iain Haley Pollack, our new Poetry Editor. Particular thanks to Dzvinia Orlowsky for founding our poetry-in-translation. Please see the individual editors’ notes in each genre section, which highlight the literary riches within. And sincere thanks to Amy Grier, our Managing Editor.
Also, our gratitude extends to Richard Ross, cover photographer, for his deep commitment to juvenile justice, as evidenced in his recent book Juvie Talk.
In fact, Solstice is devoted to promoting social justice, to probing the intricacies of debate, to not staying silent, to raising our voices. As Hannah Arendt said, “One . . . will always be left alive to tell the story.”
We are telling stories, in fiction, nonfiction, poetry and photography. Join us in reading ours and in telling yours.
Lee Hope, Editor-in-chief
