COMMUNITY

Dear Readers,

Welcome! You’ve arrived at our inaugural issue: Community. From the founding editorial team of Arrival, we sincerely thank you for being our first readers. We are so excited to showcase the skill of the writers and artists in this issue.

When creating Arrival, we wanted to create a point of entry to the writing world so that students like us can get their foot in the door. The submissions came in with a force. We read so many beautifully crafted pieces, and we commend all our fellow writers who sent in their work. All of you made this process so worth it.

While creating this issue, we were able to reflect on the meaning of community. The wide range of pieces we received spoke to the essence of the writing community itself: a world of different ideas brought together by the common love of storytelling.

Being a lit and arts mag, we want to emphasize the importance of all creatives coming together, regardless of their craft. When you have a passion to create, you’ve already made the first step towards finding a circle of creatives who get you. If you like someone's work, let them know! There’s always something so uplifting about a compliment from another creative.

Our very own writing community at Humber was integral to the creation of this mag. We’ve found that creating a publication is a lot of work, especially when you’re sneaking in the time for it between classes and assignments. However, with the guidance and support from our community of peers and teachers, we were able to create something special.  

When we reached out to established creators, they were encouraging and eager to help. Our interview subjects for this issue, poet Britta Badour and novelist Janika Oza share their knowledge, experiences, and advice. To everyone who helped this issue come together, we thank you all profusely. 

A few of the works chosen for this issue explore community in its many forms. Ava Rahimpour’s “Brownskin Bills” speaks to the connections made between different communities. ‘King of the Desert’ by Mikaela Hart saw a woman upholding a sense of duty to her community, even in the face of the apocalypse. Meanwhile the creative nonfiction pieces in this issue skillfully highlight the community of physical places. Indra O.’s artwork also deals with connection, visualizing the connection between humanity, nature, and the earth.

All that being said, we look forward to growing and evolving. We have so many new ideas that we can’t wait to put into action. See you next issue! 

Sincerely,
The Arrival Editorial Collective