Letter from the Editor

by Ellie Zupancic

Dear Reader,

When I was a freshman in college, I made my way to a Wednesday night Fools Magazine meeting for the first time. A photographer friend of mine had known one of the editors and said my occasional poetry writing was enough of a reason for me to tag along, so I did. I remember sitting, wide-eyed and quiet, watching artists and writers pitch essays, interviews, photo stories, illustrations. I watched for the full hour, and then I left, and returned the next week.

After less than a semester and many discussions with my parents, mentors in Fools, and sticky notes on my dorm room desk, I had enough courage to email a campus advisor asking to switch my major from political science to English. I listed my commitments to writing to prove myself. Her response only made my decision clearer: I have to tell you that I saw Fools for the first time this week and went nuts over it. I’ve been in this mini world of Fools ever since, yet I am constantly re-amazed, as if I’ve stumbled upon this large classroom of creatives for the first time again.

I’ve memorized the information most important for proving ourselves to those whose support we depend on—website traffic numbers, membership demographics, magazine distribution reach—but I always find it difficult to articulate the real reasons for believing in our mission. Of course, it’s easy to get a glimpse of that mission by reading about our history on foolsmag.com, by attending our events, by grabbing a copy of the magazine when it’s published; that glimpse, though, would be such a cursory thing.

The heart of Fools looks more like artists and writers getting together in crowded classrooms to create, and learning from each other along the way; editors spending countless nights discussing how to meet the needs of our community; a long-time contributor sitting down with Fools editors to figure out how to tell a story she’s been unable to articulate; or myself as a freshman wandering into a Wednesday meeting for the first time, always finding a reason to go back.

There hasn’t been an experience in my life quite like Fools. For so long, it has felt so in-my-hands: accessible as an editor and young enough yet to be shaped, solidified. I write this as we near our seventh volume, and I’m still learning the whole thing is beyond me. When I hold a new issue, I remember the earliest volumes I was part of and imagine the volumes people I’ll never know will get to be part of. At the end of it, there’s a whole lot of love, labor, and advocating that goes on behind the scenes. What comes from that is this. If you’ve found yourself at any step along the way, which includes holding one of our copies—you’re part of our mission, too. We hope you enjoy volume 7.

Yours truly,
Ellie Zupancic