Foreword from the Editors (Spring 2023)
May 8, 2023
Dear Friends of MORIA,
My name is Annie Ho, and I am the current Editor-in-Chief of MORIA Literary Magazine, the national, undergraduate-run, online literary publication of Woodbury University. Today, I am delighted to announce the release and publication of Issue Eleven!
In the post-pandemic era, when we all strive to return to pre-pandemic normalcy, our feelings, reactions, and thoughts vary around this change, as reflected by our contributors. The various reactions bloomed a plethora of themes for which the student editors coined the term “Vision Board” to represent Issue Eleven. Much like what a vision board enacts, we saw recurring sub-themes of the body, loss, identity, and voice that point to how each contributor braced for the return to “normalcy.” In this issue, you can enjoy perspectives that discuss coping with loss; dealing with feelings of being lost; ending various stages of life; and expressing voices of identity.
MORIA continues to cultivate a diverse community, providing an equal platform to represent people of all identities. In Issue Eleven, we saw an overall acceptance rate of just under 15% from 274 submissions. Of our 41 accepted works, 73% were from women authors, 24% were writers of color, 20% of our writers identified as LGBTQIA+, and 24% of our writers hailed from overseas. Each of these unique backgrounds contribute to the diverse experiences cultivated in their works, and we hope MORIA can continue this upward trend of inclusivity.
On behalf of MORIA, I appreciate all the contributors who have made Issue Eleven possible. During this tumultuous time, our poets and writers have lent their voices and experiences, which we are immensely grateful for. We would also like to give thanks to those in the Woodbury University community who continue to make our work possible. Thank you to the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Michele Starkey, for her support; Dr. Reuben Ellis, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, for his belief in the magazine, each and every semester; Dr. Matthew Bridgewater, Chair of the Writing Department, for his leadership; and Lisa Cooper and Rachel Farnsworth, for their administrative work to support our events. Most of all, on behalf of the student editors of MORIA, I would like to personally thank our Faculty Editor, Dr. Linda Dove. Without Linda’s help and guidance, our issue could not have been as refined as it is now. We were continuously introduced to new skills with every meeting, and each of us can say we all learned something about ourselves, how to communicate professionally, and the importance of teamwork. We hope MORIA continues to receive your support in the future in order to foster all the skills and opportunities that being a student editor entails.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to our relatively small team of student editors this semester, who spent many hours compiling this issue and ensuring its timely publication. Without everyone’s help and input, Issue Eleven would not have been possible. Without further ado, please enjoy Issue Eleven, our Vision Board issue.
Warm regards,
Annie Ho, Editor-in-Chief
for the Editors of MORIA Literary Magazine