We are at a critical juncture within the cyclical patterning of human civilization. We are bearing witness to multiple ongoing genocides, the violent disappearance of everyday people, and a climate crisis that stretches across space and time. We’re also currently navigating a crisis of trust in public institutions, disheartened by the way history seemingly continues to repeat itself: victims become aggressors, individualism is prized over collectivism, and power is blood in, blood out. The largeness of this moment cannot be understated.
In times like these, it can be helpful to think about scale. Because all of the crises we face are so interconnected, things can feel overwhelming and inactionable, but the flip side is also true: any positive action we take — no matter how siloed or small — will ripple outward into the web of interconnection. Love, presence, and attention are profound acts of resistance, with visible repercussions. Kissing a loved one, actively nurturing a friendship, or offering money or a place to stay are expressions of care that offer a bit of give in the otherwise impenetrable tension of our reality. So how do we return to this kind of care in a world that tries to keep us from connecting with each other? How do we build trust among each other? Actively being present is not just about witnessing, but about a persistent commitment to grappling with the truth of what we experience, encounter, and need — and engaging in any way we can.
For this issue, we are interested in stories of size and scope. What are the micro-decisions and actions that you’ve taken to fight against unjust systems? In what ways did these decisions and actions take on new forms, and lives? What essential histories have influenced your own work, and how and when do you give them voice? In a world where we’re all simultaneously star and audience, does the act of witnessing magnify or reduce us? And how does shifting our perspective, our vantage point, allow us to elude our own apathy? Only when we zoom out from our present moment to the broader account of human history can we see how we fit into the space time continuum; only when we zoom into the minutiae of everyday interactions can we viscerally understand the importance of gathering our living testimonies, our resources, our people.
This call was co-curated by Joyce Chen, S. Isabel Choi, Avi Hegland-Fisher, Isabella Higgins, Jeff Katz, Lauren Peat, and Jeané D. Ridges.
We highly recommend you read our Submit page, which contains an FAQ. There is plenty of information there: why we don’t read “blind,” why we charge a $7 fee, why we require a cover letter/statement, the type of work we’re (not) looking for, etc. Any other clarifying question, please reach out to us at submit@seventhwavemag.com. We can’t wait to get to know your voice.