Editors’ Introduction

2020 has been anything but stable. Or, rather, it dismantled any notions of stability. As an editor I could not be more thrilled and grateful for the contribution of our writers and artists. Our voices have never been more important, more urgent!  

I am honored to introduce Issue Nine; this summer we crossed our four-year anniversary. Like our artist's work, Lex Covato, this issue is birthed amidst a pandemic during a time of great uncertainty from social and civil injustice and unrest due to centuries of injustice, particularly racial; personal and community losses due to Covid-19, displacement and job losses, and climate catastrophes—fires and hurricanes.

It’s been a defining time for our nation under the reign of a tyrant, where our social justice system hung in the balance waiting for the new Supreme Justice Appointee, while still mourning the loss of RGB. And like this year, the elections were drawn out, too. Still, we’re eager for the shift of POTUS! We are thrilled to embrace our first female bi-racial VP-elect Kamala Harris.

This work was selected right before the pandemic and curated during it with Guest Poetry Editor Maura Alia Badji, a former contributor. I could not have asked for a better partner in shaping this issue. These poets courageously strike at the core breaking assumptions of disability, holding us there to bear witness. Their work is on the forefront of re-writing disability; I will let the work testify for itself.

As in any journal, there have been changes in the shifting of our masthead. We celebrate those former editors who have moved on into different capacities still serving our community at large. For myself, I wore a number of hats besides poetry editor including art editor, managing editor, social media editor, and managing our website learning HTML codes. It was my first time behind the scenes, beyond poetry editor, and I am excited for the recruitment of additional staff, volunteers, and interns to keep TDPS running. Going forward, I’m happy to announce Maura Alia Badji will join the masthead as Poetry Editor.

In an effort to further the reach of our mission statement our next issue, Issue Ten, will focus solely on the poetry and art of BIPOC with a folio platform for Black voices.  We will invite a Guest Poetry Editor to join us in selecting the work, TBA.

 Ava C. Cipri, Poetry Editor

Pittsburgh, PA; December 2020

I was a TDPS reader before I mustered up the gumption to submit my poetry. Bolstered by the mix of vulnerability, pride, and strength I found in the work of writers with disabilities in the pages of TDPS, I slowly allowed myself to accept and add "disabled" to my writing identity.

I was over the moon to have my work accepted; several months later when I was invited to be a guest editor I was just as thrilled.

Working with Ava C. Cipri has been a dream collaboration, but choosing a limited number of pieces from the bounty of excellent poetry submitted for this issue was no small feat.

Each writer we chose combines artistry with their own particular poetic fingerprint, and their own unique take on what it means to live with disabilities in this world. Some are grounded in the everyday, some weave in elements of the fantastical.

Thankfully, there is no monolithic disabled point of view. We invite you to experience each poem, each writer, each window on the experience of living with disabilities. Please share, respond, and if you are so moved, send in your work for future issues.

Maura Alia Badji, Guest Poetry Editor

Virginia Beach, VA; December 2020