As the new year begins, we at Line Rider Press find ourselves reflecting on the ongoing struggle faced by workers in the United States and across the world to live fulfilling lives amidst a crashing world order.
The inhumanity of the neoliberal establishment and capitalism were laid bare this year; the ravages of an uncontrolled Corona pandemic and continued violence against the black community at the hands of police made it clearer than ever that fundamental change is a necessity in the United States and around the world. From climate change disasters to unequal access to COVID testing, from broken criminal justice systems to manufactured economic crises, millions of people are realizing that the ruling classes have interests and morals fundamentally opposed to the rest of humanity.
And with this realization, we have also witnessed an awakening. Across racial, gender, and ethnic lines people are coming together to demand a better world. It is our hope for the new year that this energy and comradery continue until we live in a world free from the irrationality and inhumanity of a system that puts profits above all else and that constantly seeks to divide us.
To commemorate this challenging and transformative year, we will be featuring poems throughout January and February that reflect on living and writing during the Coronavirus Pandemic and navigating the seismic shifts of 2020. We hope to continue to meet our mission to provide class conscious writing and help build a socialist future throughout 2021, and we appreciate the many writers we’ve been able to publish and work with in 2020.
Thanks for your continued support. Community is everything, and art and writing are the heart of any struggle for a better world. Hasta la victoria siempre!
Happy New Year!
-Line Rider Press Coeditors, Jessica and Joshua McDermott