lacuna

Lacuna: Indie Punk Zine

Statement on Anti-racist Publishing

 

Part of Lacuna’s conceptualization was in response to the exclusive, elitist, and white-centric values and practices in traditional literary + arts magazines. In fact, Lacuna was born after Erin—at the time a young Black queer college student—was recovering from their rejection to become editor-in-chief of their college’s literary + arts magazine. As Erin states in our 2024 Relaunch Letter from the Editor:

 

“At the time, I don't think I understood the complexity of the institutional politics involved inside of English departments. But seeing as I have worked in two separate English departments in multiple roles since then, I now know about the various politics involved. A lot of the politics are classist, racist, elitist, sexist, ableist, and so on. I knew when I created Lacuna that I never wanted anyone to endure the exclusive environment that I had when I applied to become the editor of that magazine. And so far, I would say that Lacuna has been able to foster an environment of radical free expression. A lot of the shit we have published, I know for a fact, would not fly at the more academic literary arts publishing.”

 

During Lacuna’s first year, we witnessed an onslaught of Black people being murdered by the police. In response to these numerous killings, many people participated in what is now known as the 2020 Uprisings. During this time, Lacuna’s editorial team released a Black Lives Matter Statement. In that statement, we historicized racist violence in America and amplified activists and organizers who were mobilizing the movement for BLM. In our BLM statement, Erin also says:

 

“As editor-in-chief of an independent punk magazine, it is my job not only to ensure that racist works are rejected and exposed but also to publish anti-racist works. It is my job to share and amplify Black and brown voices, stories, and experiences. Black people--especially Black women, queer/trans, disabled, and poor people--consistently have their voices silenced by America’s dominant culture of white-supremacist-capitalist-heteropatriarchy. 

 

As a publication, we stand with Black Lives Matter. We support the hard work of Black community organizers working every day to organize protests and demonstrations. We support Black activists working hard to destroy our sociopolitical hierarchy of anti-Black racism. We support Black artists and scholars creating, composing, and communicating all Black experiences. We support all Black lives--Black women, Black trans people, Black queer people, Black disabled people, Black poor people, Black sex workers, Black artists, Black educators, Black abolitionists, etc. 

 

As a publication and staff, we vehemently reject any “All Lives Matter” and “Blue Lives Matter” rhetoric and work, and as readers and writers--we hope you do as well.”

 

Four years later after Lacuna’s hiatus, our editorial team is compelled to reflect on our publishing practices to ensure that we remain committed to antiracism. Lacuna’s editorial team defines antiracism as a set of beliefs, movements, and practices working towards dismantling white supremacy, systemic racism, and colonialism in all its shapes and forms. 

 

To make certain that our editorial team continually commits to antiracist publishing, our team has taken the time to review scholarship and community materials written by writers, editors, and publishers of color who are also committed to antiracism. In addition to rejecting and denouncing racist works, our zine hosts an abolitionist book club dedicated to providing political education to our readers and contributors about current movements to dismantle racist systems like the prison-industrial complex.

 

Lacuna aims to continue our efforts of antiracist publishing, so we are always open to hearing recommendations for how our zine can be an even more inclusive, equitable, and antiracist space.

 

In Solidarity,

The Editorial Team of Lacuna