ARCHIVES | 2.0
I, II, III
“...within scraps of the archive; unknown persons, nameless figures, ensembles, collectives, multitudes, the chorus.
That’s where (my) imagination resides. That’s where my heart resides.” —Saidiya Hartman
This year, as a community, we meditate on how archives inform public memory. How do we reclaim our voices within the archives of the dominant? According to data from the Society of American Archivists, only about 3% of professional archivists in the US identify as Black, and only 2% identify as Latinx. How do we bridge these gaps as a community and work to preserve what we’ve lost? Only through the act of careful listening and giving importance to our local narratives, can we begin to fill the gaps within our history books.
LAND | 1.0
I, II, III, IV
“History is written on the landscape and the bodies of its inhabitants.” Latoya Ruby Frazier
For the first year of our publication, we have chosen to focus on land. Living in the Inland Empire, we have seen the landscape change. How do these changes shape the ways in which we produce, know and negotiate space?* In our upcoming issues, we will observe the environmental impact industry has had on our community and consider the notion of borders in all their forms—geographic, mental and philosophical. Each edition will feature an artist and supporting contributors in conversation addressing our theme. We look to the history of this land, the ancestral home of the Serrano people, for ways to honor it and preserve it.
Black Archives 2.1
This year, as a community, we meditate on how archives inform public memory. How do we reclaim our voices within the archives of the dominant? Only through the act of careful listening and giving importance to our local narratives, can we begin to fill the gaps within our history books. For this issue, we give care and attention to Black stories as we hear from two generations who have lived and worked as artists in Riverside.
embodied 1.4
How connected are we to the land around us? To say that our physical and mental life is linked to nature is to acknowledge that we are part of something outside of ourselves. In this issue, two artists explore the physical and psychic terrain of the landscape and how their bodies inhabit it.
borders 1.3
A border is an imposed line that separates geographic areas into territories. Historically, this act of enforcing national borders has altered the lives of millions—particularly here in what is now called Southern California. But, borders do not only signify the carving up of land for political power, they are enforced in many other forms—culturally, mentally and philosophically. The artists in this issue challenge this phenomenon and make work towards a politic of mobility and freedom.
sowing seeds 1.2
Just east of the ports in Los Angeles, warehouses and commercial developments are replacing farms in our Inland communities. Much like the Land Rushes at the turn of the century, the newest “grab” in our area means more jeopardies for the Frontline communities who can’t relocate away from the sprawl. How do we return to our agricultural past and work together to protect the land we have left? In this issue, we highlight community gardens as an act of resistance and a return to the values of those who traversed this land before us.
little boxes 1.1
With over a billion square feet of warehouses and highways bustling with trucks, 1 in 6 jobs are related to the Logisitcs industry in San Bernardino.* The expansion we have seen since the pandemic has grown exponentially and residents feel this impact every day.