Women :: Nonbinary :: Art :: Fiction :: Poetry
Art: Molly Dunham, Natascha Graham & Public Domain
Editor's Note
Welcome to the new issue of West Trestle Review! Here in Northern California the blossoms have burst forth, and some already shower green fields with their delicate petals, making way for the unfurling leaves of cherry plums. Meanwhile, the daffodowndillies have sprung up seemingly fully formed and as bright as sunshine. It all feels auspicious.
Of course, spring doesn't make bad news go away. There's still so much that's wrong, painful, and devastating out there, and West Trestle isn't here to pretend otherwise. Since the launch of this issue, the world lost Yong Ae Yue, Suncha Kim, Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Daoyou Feng, Xiaojie Tan, Delaina Ashley Yaun, and Paul Andre Michels, to an act of white terrorism and senseless gun violence. We recognize that this is one act of violence among a rising surge of anti-Asian aggression. As West Trestle is dedicated to fighting racism in all of its forms, we invite you—particularly our white readers and contributors—in donating to Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Atlanta or another organization engaging anti-racist work.
Meanwhile, our aim is that this issue—filled with gorgeous and heart-aching poetry by Lisa Dominguez-Abraham, Nadia Arioli, Lauren Camp, Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bella, Shuly Xóchitl Cawood, Julie Cheung, Diana Marie Delgado, Ysabel Y. Gonzalez, Sonia Greenfield, Nora Hikari, Alicia Hoffman, Melissa Fite Johnson, Jakky Bankong-Obi, Robin Turner, and A.A. Vincent with art by Natascha Graham and Molly Dunham—be further testament to the powerful spirit of artists and writers. Creative folx are a kind of chrysalis, with the ability to take what's painful, dissolve it into a puddle of its essence, and transmute it, if not into something beautiful, into something that says, "I see you."
We see you.
And as always, if you appreciate what you find in these virtual pages, please do give a shout-out to our contributors on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Our hope is to be a metaphorical trestle in the lit community, connecting and uplifting the important work done by women and non-binary creators.
Thank you for all you do, and for reading West Trestle Review.
With gratitude,
Patricia Caspers
Founding / Managing Editor
Of course, spring doesn't make bad news go away. There's still so much that's wrong, painful, and devastating out there, and West Trestle isn't here to pretend otherwise. Since the launch of this issue, the world lost Yong Ae Yue, Suncha Kim, Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Daoyou Feng, Xiaojie Tan, Delaina Ashley Yaun, and Paul Andre Michels, to an act of white terrorism and senseless gun violence. We recognize that this is one act of violence among a rising surge of anti-Asian aggression. As West Trestle is dedicated to fighting racism in all of its forms, we invite you—particularly our white readers and contributors—in donating to Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Atlanta or another organization engaging anti-racist work.
Meanwhile, our aim is that this issue—filled with gorgeous and heart-aching poetry by Lisa Dominguez-Abraham, Nadia Arioli, Lauren Camp, Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bella, Shuly Xóchitl Cawood, Julie Cheung, Diana Marie Delgado, Ysabel Y. Gonzalez, Sonia Greenfield, Nora Hikari, Alicia Hoffman, Melissa Fite Johnson, Jakky Bankong-Obi, Robin Turner, and A.A. Vincent with art by Natascha Graham and Molly Dunham—be further testament to the powerful spirit of artists and writers. Creative folx are a kind of chrysalis, with the ability to take what's painful, dissolve it into a puddle of its essence, and transmute it, if not into something beautiful, into something that says, "I see you."
We see you.
And as always, if you appreciate what you find in these virtual pages, please do give a shout-out to our contributors on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Our hope is to be a metaphorical trestle in the lit community, connecting and uplifting the important work done by women and non-binary creators.
Thank you for all you do, and for reading West Trestle Review.
With gratitude,
Patricia Caspers
Founding / Managing Editor