Published September 30th

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Published December 17, 2021

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Cover art by Y. Hope Osborn

Published May 14th, 2021

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Cover art by Caroline Andreea Zgorțea

Published: December 4th, 2020

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Cover Art by Judith Dawn

Published: May 22, 2020

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Image by Jimin Kim

Published: September 27, 2019

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Image by Danielle Hark

Published: April 22, 2019

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Image by Chloe Allred

Published: December 4, 2018

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Image by Megan Karson

Our guiding theme for this issue is the idea that not only sexual violence, but also survival and people affected by sexual violence are here in our home, there in our neighbors or faraway places, and in truth, it is everywhere as it is ingrained in the foundations of so many cultures. Can we also find healing, trust, and change in each culture? Can we start with ourselves and spread healing.

Published: May 2018

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We asked, you answered. We asked you to tell us what “getting over” the trauma of sexual violation is really like.  You replied with submissions of memoirs, essays, flash fiction, plays, graphic novels, and poetry.

Published: August 24th, 2017

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We received 100 submissions to this issue of Awakened Voices. 100! We still can hardly believe it. We were delighted – and then we had to get to work.

Laura Kinter and Jean Cozier read over the first 70 submissions in two days. Two exhausting and difficult days, followed by a live painting event at the Gallery the second evening by an artist and sexual abuse survivor. Even for people who deal with rape and sexual abuse on a daily basis, this was a challenge.

In the end, we just had to remember who and what we are.  We are not a publishing house. And we are not just creating a literary magazine. We are shining an unforgiving and glaring light on an issue that people like to pretend doesn’t exist. 100 stories of rape and sexual abuse. In response to just one call for submissions.  If that doesn’t wake people up, nothing will.

Published: January 31st, 2017

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We’re making a lot of things happen at Awakenings these days. Last Fall, when we decided to take a step back and re-imagine our magazine, we were astonished and gratified to receive a flood of poetry submissions.  So many we had to struggle to keep up!  It was obvious that the first issue on our new publishing schedule should be an all-poetry issue. Thanks to you, we have 16 examples of poetry in many and varied formats to share in this issue. So many poems, so many stories, so many voices.  Making metrical the artistic expression of survivors of sexual violence.  So meaningful, so moving, and so necessary.  Now, more than ever.

Published: April 21st, 2016

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We all heal differently.  Many of us are told we must forgive and forget.  Some of us find that impossible.  But most of us know what anger feels like.  Hence, “Fuck Off.”

Published: October 1st 2015

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As with our first issue, “Mothers,” we were determined to offer a balanced point of view.  We knew we would hear about molesting fathers, and we did.  Could we find other fathers –supportive fathers, fathers of survivors, fathers who faced sexual trauma in their own families and were brave enough to write about it?

Published: May 8th 2015

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Founder Jean Cozier’s personal experiences with her mother have helped conceive the very first issue. May is often thought to be synonymous with celebrating mothers, blooming, and rebirth. Our first issue highlights meanings that subvert the traditional concept of “mother.”