Why We Are
No, that’s not a misprint. Most of you know who we are. There is some history behind why we are. It seems like only yesterday, but it was early in 2017 when a group of restless Texans decided to form a nonprofit in support of literary excellence. We had lofty goals. We wanted to give disenfranchised writers and literary artists from underrepresented communities the chance to have their work published in a print journal alongside established literary voices. We did. It worked. We were still restless. You see, a nonprofit is supposed to do a world of good or at least some good in the world. The first thing we did to make the world a better place, and in all honesty keep our venture in the black, was to create our Summer Writing Contests. We created the Julia Darling Memorial Poetry Prize and the Chester B. Himes Memorial Short Fiction Prize with the idea that we would donate half the revenue generated to support medical research. Money from the Darling Prize supports research at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Institute to support research and cures for breast cancer. The Himes Prize supports the Michael J. Fox Foundation in its quest for a cure and treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. This was our third year to run these contests. Initially, the contest barely covered its costs, but submissions increased until this year, depending on printing costs, we should be able to donate over $300 to support Parkinson’s research and close to $400 to support breast cancer research. Yeah, we’re happy about that.
What We Did
In 2020 things got weird. You know what I mean. Almost all the efforts of medical research are being redirected to save our butts from Covid 19. Back in April, when it was obvious we were in for a long and dangerous year, several poet friends of mine, and a few well-respected Texas poets who I didn’t know, collaborated on poems for an anthology. It grew organically into a collection of nine mini chapbooks. They asked me for help assembling and publishing it since that’s what we do. I was skeptical. Then I read it. I was all in. They came up with the idea of giving the book away. All I had invested was time. So we’re giving it away to those we call heroes, those who society calls essential personnel, those who our so-called leaders consider expendable. This is for them. Help me get it out there.
How To Help
The doctors, nurses, EMTs, and other medical professionals that we, as the plague affected masses, see as heroes are the same essential personnel that many in power see as expendable. Forced to risk their lives with insufficient PPE and long, grueling, and emotionally devastating hours, their selfless sacrifice brings my heart to tears. Early in this pandemic nine iconic Texas poets shared this vision and heartache. What resulted was a collection of nine mini-chapbooks collectively titled “No Season For Silence”. Kallisto Gaia Press in conjunction with Cypress Tree Press assembled these nine chapbooks within a beautiful cover featuring the fiber art of Lucia LaVilla-Havelin. We have over 300 copies to share with these heroes at cost. If you know one of these essential personnel a donation of $10 per book will cover the cost of the printing and shipping. Simply donate $10 and message us (info@kallistogaiapress.org) the address of your chosen hero. We will do the rest. We will even include a bookmark with your name on it if you wish. If you don’t have a hero in mind but would like to donate anyway we have a list of heroes who could appreciate this uplifting collection. We understand the financial difficulties some are experiencing at this time. If you know an “essential” person but cannot afford the cost, simply message us the name & mailing address. Generous people and organizations may be willing to cover the cost. Our heartfelt thanks go out to those who are keeping our loved ones alive in these times of unparalleled pandemic. My thanks also go out to you who help share this small token of our appreciation to those who risk their lives saving ours. To answer the final obvious question, YES, you can purchase one for yourself. Oh yeah, I reckon a check in snail mail would get the same results. Send to:
Kallisto Gaia Press
1801 E. 51st Street
Suite 365-246
Austin TX 78723