Social Justice Activism through Creativity, Communication, and Literacy

For my yearlong Writing, Rhetoric & Technical Communication graduate program capstone, I am a remote intern at the nonprofit, intersectional feminist publisher Kore Press located in Tucson, Arizona. Kore Press has dedicated 25 years to social justice activism through publishing diverse fiction and nonfiction work by women writers of all identities. Kore Press has unified a large and dedicated community despite having a small staff. However, being timezones and thousands of miles away last semester, I did not advance their communication efforts with their community to fully meet their needs. After receiving a travel grant from James Madison University’s Graduate School, I am traveling to Kore Press in order to assist with and complete projects that I would not have otherwise completed: I will help with a writing workshop and community event; I will film and record interviews with authors for their YouTube channel and podcast; and I will photograph their books, location, and events for use on their website and social media accounts. Through these projects, I will develop my teaching and marketing skills, as well as foster awareness of and engagement with Kore Press. These creative projects demonstrate how graduate work supports unique careers, how professional work can be ethical work, and how James Madison University’s model of engaged citizenship expands beyond our university, city, and state. Most importantly, I look forward to sharing how these projects contribute to social justice activism through creativity, communication, and literacy at the 2019 Graduate Showcase of Scholarship and Creative Activities