Italics Mine Has Launched

We are proud to share the Spring 2020 issue of Italics Mine.

This issue features new work by some forty talented writers and artists from across the College, including a new section entitled Italicized, which features the work of a Purchase College alum. This year, we’re proud to spotlight the poetry of Trisha Murphy ’19. You can also read a short interview with Trish on page 110.

On page 46, you can read an insightful interview by Cerissa DiValentino of the short story writer David Means, who visited campus this year as part of the Durst Distinguished Lectures.

Inaugural Writing Contest

Issue 17 also includes original work submitted to our inaugural writing contest on the theme of home, which feels particularly relevant given how the pandemic has destabilized so many lives all over the world. The editors asked, “what does it mean to be at home, whether in body, spirit, or place? Is home one place, or many, or no place at all, but in the imagination? And what happens when home is lost or remade?”

We were grateful to read the submissions of many and are delighted to share with you the winning piece by Mathilda Cullen, entitled “Returning Quanta: Bodies Sinking Again As They Must” (pg. 11), as well as the runner-up, Nicholas Dinielli’s poem “Haikus on the Home” (p.12), and the work of other finalists. We are grateful to everyone who submitted.

Creative Community 

We continue to be blown away by the vision of our community of artists. The visual art in issue 17 is truly stunning! We’re particularly taken by the cover art, a piece by Mitchell Angelo, entitled “The Gift.” Angelo’s artwork inspired Graphic Designer Leila Louhaichy to select the color scheme for this issue. We thank Leila for the many, many long hours spent designing a collective editorial vision.

Thank you to the editors for their hard work on publishing this issue. And a special thank you for the leadership, management, and dedication of our Managing Editors, Carly Sorenson and Meagan Sweeney. Together, they were the engine that kept our team running and on track to publish issue 17, despite unforeseen challenges and trials.

It is our hope that in the near future we can join together and hold the issue in hand and celebrate all the hard work that went into publishing it.

We hope you enjoy the pieces in this issue as much as we delight in sharing them with you. Happy Reading!

—Aviva Taubenfeld, associate professor of literature and writing and chair of the School of Humanities

Artwork by Mitchell Angelo