Gratitude is a Divine Emotion: Yellow Arrow Interns
By Kapua Iao
“Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.”
from Shirley by Charlotte Brontë
One of the many ways Yellow Arrow Publishing encourages women writers and women in publishing is through inclusion within the organization itself. We welcome (and thrive with) our volunteers and interns, not only for our own benefit but to also (hopefully) provide a prospective future publisher with some necessary tools and knowledge about the publishing world. And even if a volunteer/intern does not plan to continue within the publishing world, the tools and knowledge of working in a women-led, collaborative organization. One that champions the different and the unique. One that looks for partners and allies rather than simple connections (see our growing list of partners here).
As Editor-in-Chief, it would be impossible to organize, create, and publish without the incredible help of our volunteer staff and interns. They provide the thought process behind each journal by picking each issue’s theme and reading/voting on each submitted piece. They then read through the chosen submissions and edit them carefully and thoughtfully, not to change the voice of the author but to ensure that the voice flourishes. They provide continuous feedback and proofread the final product before release. And the same goes for our published chapbooks; the process of forming something for publication is thoughtfully long but fulfilling, nonetheless.
We try to find each volunteer, each intern, space in our organization to grow and flourish in the area they are most interested in (and of course where we need the most help!). Past staff members have worked at our live events and at Yellow Arrow House. They hand bound our publications and put as much love and tenderness into each copy as we could hope. Now that we are a mostly virtual publishing company, they focus on editing as well as writing blogs and press releases. They create promotional material and images for our authors and explore or research for future marketing campaigns, events, and collaborations. And above all else, they support. Not only me but our authors as well. I am so thankful to have had them with me on this journey.
So let’s introduce the fall 2022 interns. Each has my appreciation.
Jackie Alvarez-Hernandez, publications intern
Lives in Frederick, Maryland
What do you do? I help with lots of projects! Typically, I’m creating the social media images for events such as National Book Month and the release of upcoming publications such as What is Another Word for Intimacy? I also do other work such as updating Her View Friday, creating YouTube videos, and keeping track of online reviews for already released Yellow Arrow publications!
Where do you go to school? Currently, I’m attending Loyola University Maryland, in Baltimore. I will be graduating soon by the end of the fall semester this year. I’m pretty excited!
What are you currently working on? I’m mainly focused on studying and getting through my classes to graduate. Other than that, I am trying to work on some short stories that are a mix of horror and adventure for young adults. Not sure when I’ll consider them complete, though.
Jackie Alvarez-Hernandez is from Frederick, Maryland, and is the youngest of four. She is currently studying at Loyola University Maryland. She loves reading short stories and novels of any genre, though she prefers those that are fictional or in the horror genre. Currently, Jackie is reading a collection of poetry by Ada Limón, titled The Hurting Kind.
She hopes to enter book publishing and help copyedit manuscripts along with assisting in promotion of upcoming books. Jackie’s dream is saving up to live somewhere nice with her fiancé.
Why did you choose an internship with Yellow Arrow?
While I was searching for potential internships, I found Yellow Arrow and was drawn in by their mission statement. Helping women writers and writers identifying as women publish their work, whether in a chapbook or as part of the journal issues, resonated with me immensely. This, along with the chance at learning more about book publishing, was what led me to apply!
You can find me on Facebook @jackie.alvarezhernandez.77 and on Instagram @honestlytrue16.
Beck Snyder, program management intern
Lives in Towson, Maryland
What do you do? I work primarily on the social media aspect, creating graphics and posts to promote events, but I also help with voting on submissions and copyediting for the upcoming journal and write blog posts.
Where do you go to school? I go to school at Towson University, and I’m currently in the first semester of my senior year! I’ll be graduating in the spring of 2023, provided everything goes to plan.
What are you currently working on? I am mainly focused on getting through my senior year of college, but I’ve also been working on putting together my first novel!
Beck Snyder is a senior at Towson University studying both creative writing and film. They are from the tiny town of Clear Spring, Maryland, and while they enjoy small-town life, they cannot wait to get out of town and see what the world has to offer. They hope to graduate by the summer of 2023 and begin exploring immediately afterward.
Nothing’s set in stone yet for the future and Beck is a bit unsure of exactly where they want to be, but they would love to be able to move up to New York City and work on their fiction writing. That novel Beck is working on definitely isn’t ready for publication yet, but hopefully it will be sometime after graduation.
Why did you choose an internship with Yellow Arrow?
I wanted experience in the publishing world since I knew next to nothing about it, and I really admired Yellow Arrow’s mission of elevating the voices of writers who identify as women.
You can find more from me on Instagram @real_possiblyawesome.
*****
Thank you to everyone who supports these women and all writers who toil away day after day. Please show them some love in the comments below or on Yellow Arrow’s Facebook or Instagram. If interested in joining us as an editorial associate or intern, fill out an application at yellowarrowpublishing.com/internships.
Yellow Arrow recently revamped and restructured its Yellow Arrow Journal subscription plan to include two levels. Do you think you are an Avid Reader or a Literary Lover? Find out more about the discounts and goodies involved at yellowarrowpublishing.com/store/yellow-arrow-journal-subscription. Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts.
You can support us as we AWAKEN in a variety of ways: purchase one of our publications from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, join our newsletter, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or subscribe to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 102, Glen Arm, MD 21057). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.