Windward Review Vol. 20 (2022): Beginnings and Endings

Letter from the Managing Editor
Dear Readers,
It is my pleasure to introduce to you our latest edition of the Windward Review,
the much-anticipated Vol. 20, Beginnings and Endings. Our team of student editors have
worked tirelessly to put together this collection of fine fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction,
flash fiction, plays, works in translation, and hybrid genres of writing. We’re also
fortunate to have included a number of beautiful art pieces that add to this creative
conversation with inspired visual and narrative flare.
The theme, Beginnings and Endings, came about at the beginning of my tenure
as the managing editor. I felt that the next theme following Vol. 19, Empathy and Entropy,
should be something quite simple, yet indescribably broad—something everyone could
contribute to. At this time, I was reading Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island for a class on
the numerous environmental crises currently taking place throughout the world. In his
novel, a rare books dealer must come to terms with the power of stories and culture, the
impact that words may have on the world, in shifting beliefs and enacting real change. I
wanted Vol. 20 to explore in some way, this nigh-elemental power that storytelling has
throughout our world, and in our more personal lives.
It’s my belief that every story contains in some way a lesson, proportions of
truth, beauty, and goodness that illuminate, and connect us together. Our stories, the
secrets we share, are both indelible and unique to us, and yet not dissimilar from the
experiences of those around us. The more we share—the more we write—the more
other people understand, and wish to share their own stories. Vol. 20 contains stories
from around the world, and celebrates their courageous storytellers, who cultivate the
inexplicable magic of the written word.
We are thrilled to feature both new and familiar voices in this edition, including
works from teens in the Barrio Writers creative writing program, and winners of the
Robb Jackson Poetry Awards from the People’s Poetry Festival. It has always been a part
of our mission at the Windward Review, to showcase emerging, and established voices
alongside one another as equals. No writer is lacking a story to tell, especially those who
have been overlooked, forgotten, or shunned for daring to share their beautiful, diverse
voices. In some small way, the Windward Review seeks to amend the countless years of
literary inequality and, with the help of our contributors, publish fearless works that
challenge the present state of affairs.
As always, we want to thank our contributors for their trust, their beautiful
words, and their dedication to their craft. We are proud of each and every piece in this
long-awaited volume, and cherish our fortune in being able to showcase you in our
humble, but growing journal. Thank you for being part of this burgeoning community of
warm and accepting writers. Your voices are much-needed in our current times, adding
to a global conversation on human experiences, and remind us of the power of stories
well-told.
To our readers, we hope you enjoy reading this journal as much as we enjoyed
putting it together, and we hope that the work speaks to you, and inspires you to share
your voice as well. People are at the heart of our work at the Windward Review, and we are
so grateful to our readers who help us celebrate and encourage the tremendous work
these writers are doing. Thank you all for sticking with us!
With love and gratitude,
Dylan Lopez, Managing Editor
Beginnings X Endings 6
Windward Review Volume X
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