Our first collection of human stories features creative non-fiction, poetry, and a photo essay, which explore themes of loss, grief, aging, abuse, relationships, healing, transformation, love, hope, identity, culture, and belonging. Our contributors range from individuals who have won awards and are already well-established to emerging writers. Part of the beauty of this endeavor is the connection that comes with sharing our stories. Having the privilege of reading and reviewing each of these pieces, we felt like we were cultivating a relationship with these writers and got to know them in an intimate way – just as if they were sitting across from us, telling us their story in person. The stories gave us chills, got us thinking, made us laugh, brought tears to our eyes – touched our humanity. We are honored and deeply grateful to share them with you.
Our Photo Essay contributor, Karyna Aslanova, a Kyiv-born Ukrainian multimedia artist, director, and photographer, kindly provided a link if you’d like to learn more about the Russia-Ukraine war and ways to support efforts in Ukraine. Please visit ukrainewar.carrd.co/
With gratitude,
The COALESCE Community Team
Coalesce Community 