Illustrated by Cole Lopez (They/Them) Called me by my name for the first time Today My name Given as a long-awaited gift Murmured under held breath A breath exhaled After decades of holding something sacred to a silent heart frightening…
Creative Writing
Resisting Norms, Redefining Identity
Illustrated by Steph Liu (She/Her) categories, categories, categories boy or girlmale or femalegay or straight the world loves to categorize,put us in a boxabsolve us of who we arediminish our rainbow splattered paintinginto a blank, white canvas. rip out our individuality,…
Holding On to Let Go
Photo by Zoë Collins (She/Her) She felt the presence approach her before she heard the sand shifting beside her head. “This isn’t like you.” She opened her eyes to a half squint. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she responded. “Come…
wherever you are
Photo by Zoë Collins (She/Her) come out. come out. the voices only murmur, but they reverberate along the walls, amplifying with every echo as they reach your ears. it’s a call. it’s a threat. come out. come out. the shiver…
Headlights
Photo by Zoë Collins (She/Her) Julia’s headlights lit up the road in front of her, darkness curling around the light’s edge and lurking behind every corner. Music was flooding through her crackling speakers, its rhythm syncing with the loud pound…
Isolation Sucks
Isolation sucks! Isolation when I already have abandonment issues, it sucks! Living on the hill during the Spring Quarter is lonely, it sucks! I feel forgotten, it sucks! I need a hug, it sucks! SUCK! SUCK! SUCK! UCLA without my…
They/them
Graphic by Chris Ikonomou Do you ever look at your reflection and have absolutely no fucking clue who the person is staring back at you? Sometimes my reflection is a stranger Unfamiliar to me, and the only thing…
Ad Altiora Tendo
Graphic by Angela Zheng The power of a star The light The warmth The weight of worlds collapsing under their own greatness You stir that feeling in me Even space and time bend in awe It felt right from the…
Love Potion
Graphic by Vi Summer break after my sophomore year of high school. It was the first time my parents left me home alone while they went on a trip. I was going to be alone for about a week, and…