Dear Readers,

We present to you the first-ever volume of our creative writing publication, That Which Remains. Born out of collaboration with the Holder Initiative, That Which Remains is dedicated to forging spaces for voices too often unheard and to sparking dialogue between the pages. We present to you a collection of meditations, explorations, and interrogations of justice in all its forms and manifestations across the United States. 

It has taken us most of 2020 to bring this journal to life. This publication was forged out of a desire to expand the conversations around justice beyond the current political landscape's constraints. The pandemic unraveled the precarious thread that bound our society, exposing inequities that lurked readily below the surface. We held each other and our breaths as our cities burned with anger past due. As justice bled into our lives, it inevitably spilled into our art, dominating our pages. What remains, now, is a medley of voices, both in verse and in prose, creating a conversation that demands to be heard.

“As justice bled into our lives, it inevitably spilled into our art, dominating our pages. What remains, now, is a medley of voices, both in verse and in prose, creating a conversation that demands to be heard.”

That Which Remains: Volume One aims to posit our current societal and artistic landscape in a larger discussion. In our first volume, we are honored to hold space for some of the most prominent voices of our time. To Mr. Nnamdi Asomugha, we thank you for lending us your voice and using your craft to make spaces for voices unheard. To Mr. Ian Manuel, we thank you for your words laced with liberation and with power. And to Ms. Akemi Kochiyama, we thank you for sharing pieces of your legacy with our publication.

We are also honored to have the opportunity to showcase the voices of incarcerated writers such as Bigmann and Madelyn. In the realm of justice, those affected by the criminal legal system are far too often left out of the conversation. We thank all of our incarcerated writers for your candor, for your power, and for sharing a piece of yourselves with the world.

With a nebulous prompt to “write about justice”, the featured artists spoke to an array of topics across the spectrum of justice, giving us powerful insights on how justice manifests with respect to our different perspectives. From Robert Wright’s interrogation of the obstacles faced by the formerly incarcerated to Zach Davidson’s exploration of justice and mental health, we are overwhelmed by the power that lies within these pieces. To all of the beautiful writers within this collection, we thank you for lending us your hearts and your minds.

As we take this day in celebration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we cannot help but think about the gravity of his life’s work. Dr. King’s life did not end on a closed chapter. Rather, it sowed the seeds for a new history that upends the injustices that he fought against during his lifetime. This launch carries the weight of this day with honor as we dedicate this space to advancing the conversation that our ancestors began long ago. 

Whatever this publication brings you — be it entertainment, inspiration, or empowerment—we hope that you receive each word not as a single voice but as one that belongs to a larger dialogue, one that will twist, change, and grow throughout the history of this publication.

Our sincerest thanks to our writers, to Jaala for putting together our website, to Professor Christopher Wolfe and Elizabeth Manchester for their guidance and for keeping us together, and to you, our readers.

In solidarity,

TWR Editorial Board.