Contributors

Jewel Barnes is a junior majoring in Business. She is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa and enjoys writing in her free time.

Ayla Boylen is a third-year Art major who minors in Environmental Justice and Psychology. She spends her free time volunteering with the Sunrise Movement and operating as the leader of the Cedar Rapids Climate Strikers. Almost every aspect of her life is influenced by art and environmental justice.

Sydney Burlingham has struggled with anxiety since she can remember, and writing has helped her sort out what she’s feeling. Her poem, “Anxiety,” started out as a collection of snippets that eventually merged into one cycle of blooming from the restrictions we place on ourselves.

Dylan Catalano-Wild is a senior Graphic Design major who minors in Business Administration. He is from Channahon, Illinois, and he is part of the Mount Mercy Bowling team. Some of his favorite activities are bowling, playing video games, listening to rock and heavy metal, and hanging with friends and family.

Orlando Clark is a fifth-year English major. He enjoys writing poetry, reading, and listening to music. His poetry is a free boundary-less type; he tends to bend the rules of normal writing. His poetic motivation comes from his Jamaican roots, his love of the past, and his zodiac attributes.

Taylor Dearborn is a sophomore English major. She is on the Mount Mercy Cheer team and in the Council for Student Athletes. She is also a morale captain for Dance

Marathon. In her free time, she enjoys reading or hanging out with friends.

Melissa Deeney is a senior K-12 Art Education student at Mount Mercy. She enjoys playing video games and making art in her free time.

Alex Diercks is a junior Computer Science major who minors in English and Math. He is a varsity bowler for Mount Mercy, and he also competes on an individual level.

Sierra Earle is a sophomore majoring in English and Psychology. This is her second year contributing to this magazine.

Elee Edwards is an Elementary Education major from Garwin, Iowa.

Quinton Gaul is an Actuarial and Computer Science double major who minors in English. He says he can sometimes write competent sentences.

Cassandra Gillmore is a sophomore from Monticello, Iowa studying English and ESL Secondary Education. She is a Student Ambassador, member of the University Choir, peer writing coach, and she works in dining. She enjoys singing and spending time with her friends when she isn’t catching up on homework.

Clare Heinrich is a junior majoring in English, Outdoor Conservation, and Music Performance. She is from Urbandale, Iowa. She enjoys writing because her favorite stories inspire her to contribute her voice and imagination for others to enjoy. Her favorite book is The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey.

Joseph Kehinde graduated in 2019 with majors in Math and minors in Creative Writing and Philosophy. He was an international student from London, England, and

his biggest reason for pursuing an education in America was to experience a new culture as well as play collegiate basketball. In his free time he enjoys listening to soft jazz music and reading books about philosophy as well as selfhelp books.

Ally Killean is a Secondary Education Major with an English endorsement. She lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with her husband and two children.

Madison Knight is a senior Psychology major. She is working towards pursuing a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. She minors in Verbal Communications so she can express her passion through writing. Her poem, “Someday,” was inspired by her grandmother who passed away October 23, 2018. She will forever be missed.

Sarah Langholz is a first-year student from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She majors in English and minors in Spanish.

Elizabeth Miene is a junior majoring in English and Graphic Design. She enjoys writing in her free time, as well as singing in the University, Jazz, and Show Choirs. She can be found in her room listening to her favorite podcast or at her favorite coffee shop, Roaster’s Coffee House in Hiawatha. Lizzie finds inspiration mostly from real-life events and the people around her.

Jade Milota graduated in December 2019 with a minor in Mass Communications and Public Relations. She is currently the Executive Marketing Manager and Events Director at McGrath Powersports.

Hannah Mougin teaches second grade at Mid-Prairie East Elementary in Kalona, Iowa. She loves working with her students and is grateful for her job each and every day. Outside of school, Hannah loves to spend time with her family and friends, be outside, workout, and cheer on the Hawkeyes.

Brianna Ostwinkle is a Graphic Design and Media Communications major from Monticello, Iowa.

Jessica Purgett is a senior English and Marketing major who minors in Spanish and Creative Writing. In her free time, she edits The Mark Literary Review, which she founded in 2018. This is her fourth and final year editing the Paha Review.

Abbie Ring is a freshman majoring in Secondary Education and English. In her free time, she enjoys playing the piano, thrifting, caring for plants, and is involved with The Navigators.

Jasper Severn is a Math and Secondary Education major from California. He is also a member of the Track and Cross Country teams.

Rachel Shoop loves drawing and creating stories.

Willa Sughroue is an Art Education major from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Hannah Tesar is a Secondary Education major with a Social Sciences endorsement. She graduated from Mount Mercy in 2014 with a major in History. She aspires to be a middle school Social Studies teacher. Hannah lives in Coralville, Iowa with her fiancé, Zach, and their two cats, Stella and Carson. When Hannah isn’t writing, she enjoys spending her time watching classic film.

Paige Toomer is a sophomore majoring in English and Psychology with a minor in Diversity Studies. She is involved with multiple organizations on campus including Public Safety, Dance Marathon, Project Connect, the Executive Board of M2AP Board, NSLS, and she is a Mustang Welcome Leader. As an English major, her hobbies include writing and reading.

Matt Trueblood (he/him) is a senior Media Communication and Graphic Design double major. He works in a variety of mediums from performance to painting to video. He likes coffee too much and loves his friends the right amount. He enjoys performing improv and is president of Mount Mercy’s troupe Begging for Mercy two years running. Matt doesn’t have all the answers, but after graduation he will continue to seek them out.

Charles Uthe is an alum who spends his time writing poetry and spreading his love for creative writing wherever he can. He graduated from Mount Mercy with a major in English and a minor in Creative Writing. His work has been published in the Paha Review for the past three years.

Jada Veasey is a sophomore Nursing major and Creative Writing minor. She currently serves as the opinion editor for the Mount Mercy Times and is the president of the Law & Politics Club. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, using out-of-date slang, volunteering for local political campaigns, baking new recipes, and drinking way too much coffee.

Payton Waters is a junior art education major with a K-12 endorsement. She plans on teaching at a local school in Iowa and her goal is to inspire students to embrace their creative side.

Taylor Wright is a senior Psychology major and English minor. She is in the Psychology club and is the Executive Director of Mount Mercy Dance Marathon.

Susana Zierke is a freshman Art Education major who minors in Psychology. She plans on becoming a high school art teacher or going into the field of art therapy. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, and making art is her passion. She hopes to write more in the future.

Paha was composed in 11 point Iowan Old Style and printed on Lynx Opaque White 70 lb. text and 80 lb. White Flo Gloss Cover. The printer was Welu Printing Company.