Issue 1: Firsts

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Along with my colleagues in the Collaborative for Multilingual Writing & Research, we proposed the theme for Tellus Issue 1—“firsts”—only a few weeks before the U.S. was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Initially, the theme of firsts was meant to mirror the editing team’s first volume of this publication. The theme quickly became more than just a testament to our first time putting this publication together and our contributors’ first times experiencing something from another culture. Instead, it became a representation of our social and political climate.

Many of the pieces in this inaugural issue of Tellus focus on coping and mental health during the COVID-19 crisis; however, many also discuss the roots of culture and the realization that the “American Dream” isn’t all it’s said to be.

While these may be “firsts” for some of us, many of these systemic issues are the histories of our ancestors. At a time where police brutality and blatant racism are being experienced by BIPOC who are fighting for change amidst a global health pandemic, we do hope that this issue helps our readers find a way to cope and connect with other people through writing.

Ultimately, though, our bigger hope is that it helps readers see the need for change.


I’d like to give a special thank you to Marina Blough who helped find our logo that influenced our design, Danni Park for setting up our partnership with Pueblo at Fourteen East, and the rest of the Collaborative for Multilingual Writing & Research for working tirelessly to market and edit for Tellus.

Nicole Huff
Nicole Huff

Editor & Acting coordinator—Collaborative for multilingual writing & research