Giving Tuesday 2020
For most of us, 2020 will mark a year like none we knew before and none we may experience again. We’ve struggled through a global pandemic, isolation and physical distancing, economic shut down, philosophical battles over basic science, schools operating virtually, protests in the streets for human rights, and an excruciatingly long election season. I am sure that you, like me, are hoping to find calm and peace in this holiday season.
As December dawns, I remember that despite the hardships, there is a lot to be thankful for. Though fundamentally altered, life goes on. The election ended in a win for democracy, for human rights, for women (go Kamala!). People are adjusting to wearing masks and social distancing. Friends of mine are publishing books and winning awards. My children are happy and healthy. And the sun keeps on rising over this beautiful Earth each day to greet me.
I also give thanks that Literary Mama continues to publish incredible writing, that readers appreciate our pages, and that this journal is a powerful force in the literary world. This community shows me repeatedly that the work of mother writers has never been more important.
As a fully online journal, Literary Mama’s operations were not halted by Covid-19 this year. Our staff of 24 kept reading submissions, working with writers, copyediting, seeking photography, and sharing information on our blog and social media to bring to life six full and vibrant issues. We also emphatically shared our position that Black Lives Matter and expanded our efforts to be a more inclusive and actively anti-racist organization. Amidst it all, we reimagined our website and worked with a talented designer to update our site to create a more user-friendly and accessible reading experience.
This last item could not have happened without the financial support of friends like you, who last year at this time, celebrated Literary Mama’s new status as a nonprofit organization and donated to us. Now, again, we turn to you for support.
If you’ve discovered a poem or story or essay that inspired you, found a home for your own writing, picked up a new book reviewed here, or if you simply value the work of writers and artists who identify as mothers, please donate to Literary Mama this Giving Tuesday or at a time this season that makes sense to you. Every donation, no matter how small, is deeply appreciated.
The hard work that 2020 laid out before us is by no means over. One election win, one social justice success, one issue full of beautiful writing does not mean we stop moving in the direction of progress, growth, and justice. Literary Mama has a lot more work to do as we continue to expand this community of mother writers. During this season of giving, please join us in doing that work.
In solidarity,
Amanda Jaros
-Literary Mama is an exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All donations are tax deductible.