The Collaborative for Multilingual Writing and Research is calling for submissions for the seventh issue of Global Voices, an online-based publication which publishes a variety of artwork from those inside and outside the DePaul community. In order to find out a little more about Global Voices, I sat with a few CMWR team members and talked with them about their experiences.
Susie M. is a third-year UCWbLr and a long-time CMWR team-member who contributed a poem to the sixth issue of Global Voices.
Why do you like Global Voices?
I like Global Voices because it’s such a low-pressure way for someone to submit their work and receive feedback. I felt great about publishing my poem. “I have a poem on the internet,” I thought to myself. It was such a sense of accomplishment. It’s not the most prestigious literary journal, but that’s sort of the point.
Tell me about the poem you submitted last year.
My poem was about my favorite word in Spanish, [desahogar]. I don’t know why I wrote it, exactly, because I don’t like poetry. When I was writing it, I felt like I was making so many mistakes. But I got help, and I kept at it. By the time it was published, I felt good about it. I was proud to have written it.
Why do you think people should contribute?
I think people who would like to have there work out there should absolutely submit. To have something to pull up and show to people is an accomplishment. It could be useful in interviews, on a resume, or even in a cover letter. All-in-all, it’s a nice experience.
Victoria L. is a sixth-quarter UCWbLr and a fourth-quarter CMWR member. She is in charge of recruiting writers and artists to contribute to Global Voices, and is busy at work coordinating the upcoming issue.
What has your involvement with Global Voices been?
My involvement with Global Voices has been largely in recruiting. I try to get the word out when we’re accepting submissions, to encourage anyone and everyone to submit their work. I’ve also participated in collaborative decision-making in regards to the segments and features we might include in each issue. For instance, we’re currently interested in creating snapshots of international students, in which students will write a brief paragraph describing their journeys to caption a photograph of them.
Are you planning on submitting?
I haven’t submitted yet, but I’m planning to. I would really like to push myself to share something that I’ve created and to use Global Voices as a way to explore my own identity.
Who’s allowed to contribute?
Everyone is allowed to contribute, not just DePaul students. Anyone who has something they want to share or publish is welcome to send in their work.
Why should people contribute?
I think that Global Voices is a great platform. Many people aren’t offered a chance to put their work out into the world without backlash or criticism. At the UCWbL, we believe that anyone who writes anything is a writer. Global Voices is the CMWR’s way of supporting this core belief. It’s for anyone who wants to write and to create and to share their work.
If you or anyone you know has a piece of created art or would simply like to share their experiences, you can submit at CMWR@depaul.edu. Anybody who wants a platform to have their creative work published or wants to participate in the CMWR community is invited to contribute.