Welcome to Writers Resist the 2025 Summer of Resistance Issue
Wouldn’t it be dandy if this season were a 21st century version of the Summer of Love, but more inclined toward the civil rights movement? An uprising of all ages—of every identity!—leading a powerful return to our generations-long quest for liberty and justice for all; for diversity, equity and inclusion; for a moral commitment to our three branches of government, our pursuit of a true democracy, our vision of what we might be?
Yes, that would be dandy.
This issue launches after the 14 June protests, and we saw you all were on streets across the nation, with oh-so-clever signage, lots of peace and love, and being absolutely dandy.
Thank you—don’t stop!
But first, we’ll take a moment to offer our fondest farewell to René Marzuk, editor extraordinaire and exceptional human being. We’ve been grateful for his presence on the Writers Resist team. We will miss him sorely and lovingly.
A note from René—
In August of 2022 (more than two and a half years ago!), the editors of Writers Resist welcomed me as one of their own. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of reading and considering (mostly) poetry submissions from all over the world. Working closely with Debbie, I read pieces carefully and consistently, trying to find expressions of resistance that took full advantage of the resources available to poetry. As I get ready to step down from my role, I look back with joy to all of the instances in which I found not only what I thought I was looking for, but much, much more.
Early on, I learned that Writers Resist offers a platform for resistance and community that is in turn supported by the generosity and love of those who keep it running. Thank you so much for creating and maintaining this space, K-B, and thank you all for allowing me to be one of you during the last couple of years.
Keep writing the resistance, friends!
Saludos,
René
And now, in between protests, please enjoy the rich contents of our Summer 2025 issue—and join us for Writers Resist Reads, a virtual celebration of this issue, on Saturday 16 August, at 5:00 p.m. PACIFIC. Email WritersResist@gmail.com for the Zoom link.
CONTENTS
Work Trip by Alyssa Curcio
Manure by Robert Delilah
The Neighbor’s Goldfish by Ashley Dryden
Freedom Calls (Commemorating Harriett Tubman’s Promotion to Brigadier General in the State of Maryland) by Ellen Girardeau Kempler
s k i n by Rebecca Havens
Awaiting Harris’ Concession Speech November 6, 2024 by Dotty LeMieux
Standard Safety Recommendations: Revised, 2025 by Ryan McCarty
Stars and Stripes: Registering Voters in the Travis County Jail by Lauren Oertel
Inauguration Day by Linda Parsons
The Age of Unreason by Matthew Sam Prendergast
The Bishop by Lao Rubert
Marked by Fendy Satria Tulodo
Saved by Phyllis Wax
you’re all for autism awareness ’til by Lauren Withrow
Photo credit: K-B Gressitt, taken at Greenwood Rising, a Tulsa, Oklahoma, museum that will “educate Oklahomans and Americans about the [1921] Race Massacre and its impact on the state and Nation, remember its victims and survivors, and create an environment conducive to fostering sustainable entrepreneurship and heritage tourism within the Greenwood District specifically, and North Tulsa generally.”