We at QuePasa wish to publish a magazine that is still very much invested in its mission statement, while also providing the care for the student body and the Latinx community serving the Columbus area needed. Like our previous issues, we wish to highlight the efforts of our contributors and the voices of the Latinx community on campus. The articles in this issue range from narratives about finding a sense of belonging, to essays about the contributions of various student organizations. Some of the organizations include LLEGA (Latina/o/x Engineering Graduate Student Association), GAMHAA (Graduate Association of Mental Health Action and Advocacy), and LASER (Latinx Space for Enrichment and Research). We also include pieces from faculty, including a discussion of Glenn Martinez’ work with heritage Spanish speakers
Love in the Time 6 feet away
of Coronavirus
keep distance
Rolando Rubalcava, Editor
He found a glimmer of hope in the ruins of disaster ― from Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera
use masks
social distancing
virtual hugs allowed
and medical interpreters, and showcasing the writings of Ashely Perez, Assistant professor of Comparative Studies and published novelist. Our Spring issue wishes to project a feel of community and support. No pandemic will prevent us from doing so. We wish all who are reading this, and even those who aren’t, that you are safe, practice all safety tips to help stop the spread of this disease, and are doing all you can to stay calm under these trying times. We are with those affected, those on the front lines, and those who would benefit from reading something special. We could all use a little special right now.
With Hope, Love, and a Penchant for Good Stories, Rolando Rubalcava
social distancing
Esquina de los Editores
I’m writing this at the desk of my home, as the sun slowly sets on another day in quarantine. QuePasa magazine is still in production, still sticking to its goals: to share the stories of our community, providing a safe haven for the voices that need to be heard. At the beginning of the semester, we planned for the Spring issue, collected essays, and worked on a new marketing campaign to help spread the word of QuePasa on campus. Then…things changed. We cannot publish this Spring without acknowledging our new reality: we are living in a pandemic, encompassing lockdowns on public spaces, working from home, practicing social distancing, adopting new practices when it comes to staying safe. As I write this, I’m staving off a small cough, and I can no longer afford to dismiss it as “just a cough”. Our everyday has been upended by an invisible presence in the air. As we try hold on to a sense of normalcy, QuePasa magazine will continue to publish a magazine with its goals unchanged, publishing the works we wished to publish back when things were still normal. As a hub for Latinx voices, we are also cognizant of the struggles of our community. Our cover highlights the numerous roles Latinx workers are taking to help continue providing essential services. The migrant farm worker, continuing to labor while trying to stay safe; the medical practitioner, including some who are DACA recipients; the grocery store employee, a role most Americans are just now realizing is and always has been essential; and the postal carrier, working through sleet, rain, snow, and now a pandemic. As a community not unfamiliar with the peril of xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiments, we also stand together with the Asian-American community facing attacks fueled by fear and panic. There’s no excuse for racism, especially during a time of crisis. We must protect the most vulnerable, as we have been, and make sure Ohio State is a safe space for all marginalized communities.
