Exploring Issues, Empowering Voices: Meet City College’s Student-Run Publications
By Ann Marie Galvan
Student-run publications are essential platforms for amplifying student voices and fostering discussions on issues that matter to the campus and surrounding communities. City College now has three: Decolonize Your Mind, Forum Magazine and Etc Magazine.
Decolonize Your Mind
Started by City College student Yenia Jimenez, the goal of the up-and-coming Decolonize Your Mind magazine is to educate readers through thought-provoking articles, and spark conversations surrounding topics that affect their communities. The magazine’s inaugural October 2023 issue titled “An Ode to Gentrification” will explore the theme of gentrification, and its causes, effects and environmental injustices.
Decolonize Your Mind also plans to release an Indigenous Peoples Month November 2023 issue to amplify discussions on land repatriation, the preservation of spaces, language and culture with the hope of spotlighting many artists and writers.
In an interview that appeared in CanvasRebel Magazine, Jimenez said that she grounds her writing in personal experiences, and believes that the representation of different cultures and histories is vital.
“Without it, we are unable to show our younger generation that we are, too, capable of having a seat at the table,” she said. “From poetry, prose and storytelling to nonfiction writing, indigenous people are very underrepresented,” Jimenez told the magazine.
Decolonize Your Mind strives for inclusivity and accessibility, and envisions a future “where their issues reach juvenile detention centers and prison systems,” breaking the “historical dominance of Eurocentric publishing” as well as offering a platform for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, the magazine said in an email.
To learn more, contact decolonizeyourmindeditors@gmail.com or visit its Instagram, @decolonizeyourmind.
Forum
City College’s literary publication, Forum was established in 1937 and is “dedicated to providing a platform for the contemporary, urban voices of our institution,” according to the magazine’s website. It includes photography, short stories, creative nonfiction, poetry and more, and it is published in both the spring and fall semesters.
With a history spanning decades, the magazine is an integral part of City College’s cultural landscape. The creative writing program often hosts poetry readings and other literary-themed activities.
Creative writing student Irene Fuchshuber joined the magazine to develop her writing skills. She said, “I was an editor in the nonfiction group where we look at nonfiction pieces and rate how good they are before determining if they are a good fit for Forum.”
Ultimately, Forum encourages collaboration among student-writers and connects them to larger communities. Fuchshuber agrees.
On May 24, Forum will be hosting the launch of its spring 2023 issue at Medicine for Nightmares, Bookstore & Gallery, 3036 24th Street, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Etc Magazine
Following a hiatus of almost two years, City College’s award-winning Etc Magazine returned this semester for its spring 2023 issue.
Part of the Journalism program, Etc Magazine aims for fair and objective reporting, covering essential issues that impact students, faculty, and staff, as well as topics impacting the college and the city. At the 45th Annual San Francisco Press Club Awards in 2022, the magazine won seven awards, including Best College Magazine. This year marks the magazine’s 25th anniversary, and the spring 2023 issue is its 50th issue.
Jupiter Max, current editor-in-chief of Etc Magazine, said that even after a pandemic-induced hiatus, the magazine is going strong. “There’s a lot of talent on the magazine,” she said.
Etc goes through multiple drafts of stories to ensure quality, and even with new students, Max said everyone fell into rhythm, contributing their skills and expertise.
“The stories are compelling,” Max said, noting that she likes the in-depth research that comes with writing for a magazine. “You get a lot of interviews first of all, because every story is like 2,000 words, and you get a lot of pictures because we have a lot of space to fill up. It’s a 32- to 40-page publication. It’s long, but you have a bit more freedom. I feel like there’s more rules within a newspaper. That’s what drew me to the magazine.”
The fall 2021 issue included an investigation into the transition to City College’s newly appointed chancellor, David Martin, an in-depth story about the college’s recycling program, and a spotlight on Sanjay Sakhuja, the person behind the printing press who publishes the magazine.
Etc is published in the spring and fall, and students handle every aspect of the production, including writing, editing, photography and design.
Sign up for Journalism 29A, Introduction to Magazine Editing and Production, taught by Molly Oleson in Fall 2023.