Managing Editor Letter

Dear Readers,

The same month that our Fall 2025-Spring 2026 issue was launched, four astronauts traveled 252,756 miles into the stars, which is the farthest from Earth that humans have ever been. The mission was nine years in the making, built on decades of research, precision, and innovation. At its core, though, it began with something simpler: the desire to see beyond what we already know. Those astronauts were once like us, looking up at the night sky and wondering what lies ahead.

Our theme, Curiosity is the Engine of Achievement, is driven by this instinct. It’s what keeps us up at night and what puts a pen or paintbrush in our hands by daybreak. In reading and viewing the submissions for this issue, my fellow editors and I saw how extraordinarily that curiosity takes shape on the page, canvas, and video. Just as Artemis II pushed the frontiers of exploration, these works reach toward new perspectives.

Thank you to everyone who submitted their work and trusted us with their creations. We are also incredibly grateful for the guidance of our faculty advisors, Professor Phoebe Reeves, Dr. Stephanie Alcantar, and Professor Rachel Grimm. Their support, our very own ground control, made this journey possible. Finally, thank you to my fellow editors for your commitment and passion. I could not have chosen better people to work alongside, and I am so proud of what we’ve created.

I will leave you with the words of Reid Wiseman, Artemis II’s commander:
"It's a special thing to be a human, and it's a special thing to be on planet Earth."
 

Sincerely,

Zoe Luévano
Managing Editor
East Fork Journal of the Art