Blossom wouldn’t exist without friendship. The magazine started with a simple one-off text to Lola where I said “I wish we had a publication for depressed 20-somethings.” It was a joke, but the more we thought about it, the more we realized we could create something for young adults by young adults (and not necessarily just for those of us with depression). I pulled Lola into this project because there is no one I would rather create with. Her friendship inspired me and made me want to do something where we could not just elevate our art and writing, but the art and writing of our friends. We wanted to create a community that was nurturing and collaborative like all the best friendships are.
It’s kind of insane to think that a text in January of 2021 led to a launch only a couple of months later. Blossom would be nothing without the friends we have contributing to the magazine. Whether the contributors were classmates, people I met online, or those I’ve met through others, I consider everyone who writes, creates, and reads Blossom a dear friend. I’m so grateful for the connections I’ve made, and the connections I’ve continued to make. Most of all, I’m thankful to Lola who constantly inspires and pushes me to be a better creator. I couldn’t run Blossom without her.
Okay, Maddy is being way too modest! In January we joked around about making our own publication, and a few days later, she sent me a detailed itinerary outlining how we can contact contributors, design a website, and have a month’s worth of articles ready to be published by March. It seemed like an impossible amount of work, and I agreed to it instantly because I knew that if anyone could pull it off, it would be Maddy. For as long as I’ve known her, Maddy’s ambition and creativity has inspired (and intimidated) me. She’s always pushed me to believe in my work, to keep creating even when it feels impossible, and I’m so lucky to call her my friend.
Since starting Blossom, I’ve formed friendships with even more people who inspire and intimidate me in the exact same way. Working with them has been my one bright spot in the past year, and I’m unbelievably proud of the art that we’ve created together. So in honor of May, our friendship month, I’m dedicating this to Maddy and the other incredible people that I’ve met through Blossom. I’m sorry this is so sappy, but tbh it’s your fault for all being so great.
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