Dear Readers,

Thank you so much for your support in the creation of San Francisco Youth Anthology. I remember it was just a few months ago when I first came up with the idea of creating a city-wide literary magazine and initiative while submitting my own writing to other journals. I’ve never come across a journal which focused explicitly on a specific location and felt such a zeal to create a publication showcasing the unique voices of San Francisco youth. The beginning stages of creating this magazine were difficult since it was hard to get the word out, but as we gained momentum and increased our scope, the editorial team began to see the astonishing works being submitted by local youth writers. All the work that has been submitted to us has been absolutely amazing and it has been such a pleasure to read everything, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to work for a cause that brings a diversity of shining voices to light.

The central goal of San Francisco Youth Anthology was to build a platform that would allow anyone, regardless of their background or identity, to have a chance to share their voices and read others’ stories. As shown from our diverse range of published authors, we believe in using language and the written word as a bridge between language, culture, and experience, and showcasing a unique group of writers with a varying range of identities. This is especially seen from our special collection of ‘My America’ poems, in which immigrant youth from San Francisco International High School discuss their realities, hopes and dreams, of living in the United States.

This letter would not be complete without me expressing my sincere and wholehearted gratitude to the whole editorial team, including Ava Rosoff, Taylor Waggoner, Angelina Costa, Stella Hong, and Olivia Bye, who have been so immensely helpful, from going through submissions, to working on outreach, to being committed to help the magazine grow. Finally, the growth and scope of people that the San Francisco Youth Anthology has reached is largely credited to my amazing mentor and a local writer, Olga Zilberbourg, who helped me so much with this magazine, from giving invaluable advice, to introducing me to other writers and educators, and without whom the Anthology wouldn’t be where it is at today.

Signing off,

Natalie Checherina, founder & editor

4.17.2023