Every year, the Yahara Journal publishes a collection of poetry and artwork created by Madison College students. Throughout the school year, any and all Madison College students can submit their poetry, prose, short stories and all types of artwork through various contests put on by the Yahara Journal. These smaller contests award cash prizes.
All submissions to these contests are then taken into consideration for the honor of being featured in the annual Yahara Journal, released at the end of the Spring semester.
Asime Ibraimi, the editor of this year’s Yahara Journal, has described her club as “a group of passionate, intelligent, hilarious outcasts that come hang out with each other once a week and share their love for art and poetry.”
These individuals commune every week to brainstorm events and opportunities to host around campus that offer a safe space for students to express their artistic sides.
Some of the events hosted this year have included an open mic where students were given a stage to perform their poetry, a Coffee and Creativity event where free coffee was offered along with various crafts and poetry readings featuring several local, published poets.
As Ibraimi states, “every aspect of the Yahara Journal provides artistic expression – from the contests, open mics, tabling events to the weekly meeting sharing and reading poetry together.”
This past month, the staff of the Yahara Journal has been hard at work editing and assembling their book and the release date has been set for Friday, April 28, at noon in the Truax Gallery. This journal will include 56 pieces of poetry, prose and artwork, all produced and submitted by Madison College students.
Along with the printed journal, the group will also host an art show in the Truax Gallery. This art show will feature some of the artwork chosen for the Journal as well as new art submissions received before the day of the show.
Students will have a chance to show off their hard work and incredible skills by displaying their art in an official gallery – something lots of college students would only dream of.
The Yahara Journal staff is overjoyed with the amount of submissions they received this year and they hope to continue this trend for future semesters.
At the end of the day, artistic expression is something that all students should be able to recognize and celebrate, and student groups like the Yahara Journal do just that.
“More than anything, it has brought people together,” Ibraimi said. “Young people who feel alone have found a sense of community and passion.”
That sense of community and passion is vital in a world of ever-growing distance between peers and the opportunities given by Madison College and the Yahara Journal certainly try their best to bridge the gap.