Editor’s Note

I joined West 10th my sophomore year of college, just as I had transferred to NYU’s nursing school and sworn off a career in writing forever. I am now at the end of my senior year, no longer a nursing student, and now set more than ever on becoming a writer. This is a testament to the marvelous impact West 10th has had on my life, and it’s the reason the magazine you hold in your hands is so dear to me.

There are a myriad of small moments that have made my time at West 10th memorable, but one I remember as being truly transformative. It was the fall of my junior year, and the West 10th event team was hosting an open mic in Kimmel. I had no intention of reading my own work, but I had never been to an open mic before, and I was curious. As I sat in the back row, I listened to the poems and prose pieces and was struck by the warm, electric feeling in the room. I felt at one with every artist and every audience member. When the last call for speakers came, I stood, walked to the front of the room, and read as loudly as I could. There was one sentence I’d written to be funny, and at the end of it, I paused and listened to see if anyone would laugh. They did laugh, and their laughter made me feel close to them, and it made me feel grateful.

As editor-in-chief, I have even more reason for gratitude. Last fall, the new West 10th event coordinators hosted another open mic, and I got to watch a new generation of back-row listeners transform into last-minute speakers due to the joyful sense of community that the West 10th event coordinators and web editors had created. This sense of community is translated into print thanks to the insight of our prose, poetry and art editors, and the diligence of our copy editors. To the entire West 10th team, you have made me feel constantly touched, amazed, and honored.

I am equally touched, amazed, and honored by the talent and vulnerability this year’s contributors have shared with West 10th. These pieces all vary greatly, from studies on translation to meditations on mother-daughter relationships, and they all have, I find, one quality in common: the electric warmth I felt during that first West 10th open mic. Their depth and emotion make me, as a reader, feel as though I am part of something beyond myself. They make me feel less alone. This is art’s profound power and this, dear contributors, is what you have accomplished.

Above all else, I am grateful for the Creative Writing Program and its faculty. I thank our faculty advisor, Joanna Yas, who has taught me everything I know about being editor-in-chief, and who is the reason this issue of West 10th exists today. I thank our executive editors, Matthew Rohrer and Darin Strauss, who have selected Editors’ Award recipients with care and attention. I thank Deborah Landau, director of the Creative Writing Program, and Jerome Murphy, who have steadfastly supported West 10th. Through your support, you have all made a lasting impact on my life and the lives of countless students who represent our next generation of creative writers.

This issue of West 10th is lucky enough to include the poetry of Victoria Chang, our guest contributor, and the wisdom of Catherine Lacey, our interviewee. I thank you both for your time, your words, and your brilliance. You serve as inspirations to our literary community here at NYU, and beyond.

I would like to personally thank West 10th’s managing editor, Alexandra Bentzien, for the grace and elegance with which she has stepped in countless times to keep West 10th running. The strength and flexibility of her support has astounded me, motivated me, and kept me inspired.

And finally to you, the reader, I extend my gratitude. As you read through this issue, I hope you are reminded that you are not alone. I hope you hear the measured melody of the poet’s voice, the impassioned intonations in the writer’s reading, and the bated breath of the photographer, the crisp click of their camera. I hope that these stories, and this art, remind you that whatever it is you may be going through, you are not the first to experience it, and you certainly will not be the last to endure it. We at West 10th hope you feel supported by this art, because we feel, most gratefully, supported by you.

Rebecca Stevenson