Current Issue
Forth Issue #8
Editor’s Note:
The times are a’ changing’… Or so it seems. Wildlife has been captured and mistreated; California is on the brink of legalizing marijuana; the business of sex and slavery in our state is prevalent and thriving; and Spring is finally upon us. Hm…perhaps not much has changed at all since the 20th century. Though, I will propose, from the looks of this Issue of FORTH, that we are becoming more aware, perhaps more sensitive to the issues at hand.
Forth Editor and Journalist Marco Mannone, in being sent to the LA Zoo to “find a story that would go with our Spirng ‘Green’ Issue,” only happened to stumble into a strange and heated debate on the LA Zoo’s elephant preserve, discovering intense and expensive arguments as to our state and city spending habits, as well as perhaps an overall mistreatment and oversight of wild animals in general. Forth Writer Julia Ingalls meanwhile did some investigation of her own into state spending, looking at the much debated Marijuana issue—why it hasn’t been legalized and what significant points are being massively overlooked. Further journalism comes from Michal Zebede in her wrenching investigation of Sex Trafficking in California and a surprising group of Truckers who aim to combat this horrid trade.
And of course, we have some wonderful displays of green and recycled art from artists like Deb Ris and Bianca Kolonusz-Partee, as well as from the Sustainable Art Fair. We’re also privileged to feature fictional work by author Matthew Flaming and an interview with author Louis Bayard. This issue is truly eclectic, including varieties of poetry, art fairs and exhibits, slam art, pieces from Northern California, and a strange and interesting new section, featuring short fiction by Forth Writer Sophie Kipner, tasked with personifying the articles at hand and drawing them all together.
In keeping with the green theme, we thought it the perfect time to go all-digital with Forth. As Spring is a time for renewal and rejuvenation, we’ve begun to reinvent ourselves, developing an even stronger online presence and developing ideas for an amazing, one-of-a-kind digital magazine, to be launched later this year. In going fully digital, we at Forth know we’re not only becoming more environmental sound, but more technologically modern. And we’re excited: A new digital product, with moving images, videos and slideshows where static photos used to be, play buttons to listen to the fictional pieces read by the authors, interactive components to supplement great pieces of journalism. It’s all in our future, and we’re excited to be a part of the community once again this Spring, promoting not only the best in Los Angeles art and literature, but supporting green artists, writers, and issues—becoming more generally aware and involved with our environment, both on a planetary level and a human level. We hope you continue with us, press on, go Forth, and enjoy!
Jeremy Shawn Pollack
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Marco Mannone