Editor’s Note

Editorial Note

First of all, I want to say what an amazing opportunity it was to work with this year’s editorial staff. Without this group of people, the journal could never have actualized. This year the journal went through many critical internal changes as it faced the challenges of losing long-standing staff members to the world as it gained new, fresh faces. We sadly said goodbye to one such loss, our friend and former President, Ceres, mid-year as she embarked on the next chapter of her life. This left the journal to face the eternal question—what happens now? Under new leadership, the staff was amazing and I cannot express how thankful I am for their perseverance throughout the entire year as we all learned the process of publishing a journal as we went. I have never seen such a dedicated group of people work so hard to accomplish something so wonderful. On top of creating the journal, we also created an Amendment zine, which was finished in the early summer. We hope to make this zine a permanent fixture of Amendment and we hope that it helps us enlarge our audience and gives us all new voices to hear. This year, the theme amongst the staff seemed to be change, coping, and finding balance. A lot of the work that is presented seems to also reflect this. Many of the works that are in this year’s journal reflect a dissatisfaction with the way things are presently. A call for action has been declared on multiple fronts. Issues of race, disability, imperialism, body image, gender issues, sexuality, and many others are covered in this year’s journal. Our authors included personal stories, crises, triumphs, and memories. This journal is as much theirs as it is ours, and I want to make it yours as well. Many of the issues brought up by the journal are not new, but they are very much silenced. Through publishing this journal, we (the staff) hope to continuously bring these and any other issue that one would find important to the center of discussion. Amendment is working to become a bigger voice on the VCU campus and in the surrounding community as it strives to empower leaders through artistic expression.

Amendment will continue to change as it adjusts to the ever changing world. I hope that these changes will always be good, and we hope to continuously learn. Amendment teaches us about ourselves, our friends, our community, and our world. Every day is a new day to learn of another person’s struggle and a chance to help make a difference. I hope sincerely that this journal helped you find some solace, comfort, or your own inspiration. I also hope that it helps to give you a voice to use in your own struggles and life. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this journal. Please, feel free to offer any constructive criticism, comments, questions, or thoughts to Amendment at anytime. We would not be in existence without you and the many voices who want and need to be heard. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I hope that you will continue the good fight and never give up hope.

Sincerely,

LeaAnne Eaton

Editor-in-Chief 2006-2007

The Student Media Center, part of the Student Affairs and Enrollment Services division at Virginia Commonwealth University, is a resource center for recognized independent student media at VCU. Current recognized student media include Poictesme; Amendment, another literary journal; The Commonwealth Times newspaper; The Vine, a quarterly magazine; and WVCW radio. For more information, contact VCU Student Media Center, 817 W. Broad St., (804) 828-1058. Mailing address: P.O. Box 842010, Richmond, VA 23284-2010. E-mail: goweatherfor@vcu.edu