Foreword from the Editors (Fall 2021)
November 29, 2021
Dear Friends of MORIA,
My name is Mariely “El” Tavarez, and I am the current Editor-In-Chief of MORIA Literary Magazine, the official online literary publication of Woodbury University. Today, it is my privilege and honor to announce the release of Issue Eight!
In an era of new normalcy and within the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it came as no surprise that many of our pieces drifted towards the idea of love and connection, something that has felt scarce these past two years. I, on behalf of the MORIA editorial team, sincerely hope you enjoy this issue entitled, “We’re In This Together,” which focuses on relationships, whether they be beautiful and blossoming or wilted and dying. Art inspires reflection in many forms, and as you read you may follow along in our smaller themes that lend to the overarching idea of togetherness. These themes include journeys and travels, loss and death, identity, and redemption.
As always, MORIA remains committed to creating an inclusive creative space for all artists. From out of 209 submitted pieces, Issue Eight includes 32 original pieces, which reflects an acceptance rate of 15.3%. Of these pieces, 46% were from women or women-identified writers and 13% were from writers of color.
On behalf of MORIA, I would like to extend a special thank you to the authors, whose words and experiences changed our hearts and perspectives. In a time of unpredictability, they have remained patient and consistent, empowering us with their words and inspiring us with their work. We would also like to extend a thank you to the faculty at Woodbury University who have work tirelessly with the MORIA team to ensure greatness. In particular we would like to express our gratitude towards Interim Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Cynthia Azari, for her support; Dr. Reuben Ellis, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, for first envisioning the magazine and making its programs possible; Dr. Matthew Bridgewater, Chair of the Writing Department, for his enthusiasm each and every semester; Rachel Farnsworth and Elizabeth Cooper for all that they do behind the scenes; and to Faculty Editor, Dr. Linda Dove, who guided us every step of the way and is so committed to MORIA. Lastly, I would like to give a personal thank you to my fellow student editors, Rosa, David, and Fahad; we were a small team but had the commitment and the work ethic of a crowd. Thank you for making this such a fun and memorable experience. Despite the triumphs and tribulations this past year has brought, we are proud of Issue Eight, and we hope you will find it insightful, empowering, and everlasting. Words cannot express how proud I am of the MORIA editorial team. Please enjoy Issue Eight: “We’re In This Together.”
Best wishes,
Mariely “El” Tavarez, Editor-in-Chief,
for the editors of MORIA Literary Magazine