LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

DEAR READER,

WELCOME TO ISSUE NO. 1 OF ALTERNATIVE MILK MAGAZINE.

THIS IS EXCITING, NO? THE VERY FIRST ISSUE OF ALTERNATIVE MILK MAGAZINE. HERE IT IS. I HOPE YOU ENJOY READING IT AS MUCH AS I ENJOYED CREATING IT. 

THIS WOULD BE THE SPACE WHERE I EXPLAIN THE DEEP, HEARTFELT REASONING BEHIND THE NAME “ALTERNATIVE MILK” (THERE ISN’T ONE), THE POIGNANT, INSPIRED MOMENT THAT SPURRED ME TO START A LITERARY MAGAZINE (NEVER HAPPENED), AND TALK ABOUT THE EFFERVESCENT, LIGHT-FILLED DAYS OF READING SUBMISSIONS AND PUTTING IT TOGETHER (IT WAS DEFINITELY A LABOR OF LOVE, AND ANY ERRORS ARE MINE). 

IT COULDN’T HAVE POSSIBLY HAPPENED WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE:

CESAR PRIETO | DANIEL JAMES SMITH | RACHEL LYNN | MARISSA KAZEMI | SAM TRAGGARDH | DANIELLE CAMORLINGA | RENEE KAZEMI | NAT RAUM | MELISSA A. HERNANDEZ | SAMANTHA LAMPH | JEFF BOGLE | KRYSTI JOMÉI | JONNY DESTEFANO

& ANOTHER MASSIVE THANK YOU TO OUR CROWDFUNDING PATRONS:

KELLY GOLDEN | JENNY OVER | RO MURDOCK | JOSH PFEIL | RILEY RESO | AZULA WILSON | KATIE LI | CORINNE GOEDE | JOSEPH COLLINS | SIERRA PEÑA | MEG WARD | CAITLIN MCWHIRT | LAUREN MERAR | AURELIEN STOLZENBACH | CARA MCHALE | MICHELLE CURTIS | JEFF REESE | KRYSTAL SIMPSON | KRIS HUELGAS | TIFFANY BACHER | HOLLYANN TABOR | JOCELYN WYLDE | MELANIE STACEY | MEGAN DERMAN | BAYLEY SHOLTY

I WAS VERY LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A PUBLICATION THAT PAYS ITS CONTRIBUTORS AND DOESN’T CHARGE SUBMISSION FEES. BOTH THINGS INCREASE ACCESS TO PUBLICATION FOR PEOPLE WITH MARGINALIZED IDENTITIES AND THAT ACCESS IS A CORE VALUE FOR ALTERNATIVE MILK, ALONG WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT MADE THIS ALL POSSIBLE. THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF IT. THANK YOU FOR READING.

ERIKA GILL

EDITOR IN CHIEF