c/o the-ankh.org
On April 18, the Ankh announced the launch of their new online platform, the-ankh.org. Since 1985, the Ankh has biannually published material created by and for students, faculty, and staff of color at Wesleyan. The website includes pages that showcase art, poetry, video, and music by students of color. It also has a digital copy of the current issue, an archive of past issues, and a collection of zines. The “About Us” section of the new website provides a background of the publication and site.
“The Ankh has taken different forms over the years, ranging from online blogs to physical publications,” their website says. “We are constantly changing. This website is an extension of our print publication, and a platform for mediums that we otherwise could not include—video, music, spoken word. If you’ve created a film, send it to us. If you recorded a performance or concert, we want to share it. If you wrote something that needs to be published right away, we can do that for you now. This website is the result of years of work by people of color, both at Wesleyan and beyond our campus, and we hope that it will continue to grow as an archive.”
The Ankh has established itself as a publication that showcases and elevates the voices and creations of students who may not have other outlets for expression on campus.
“The Ankh is a safe, open space for student of color expression,” the website says. “Our goal is to voice a wide range of experiences and build trust and community…. The Ankh is your space.”
Kazumi Fish ’19 was part of the team that created the new site. She spoke about the limitations of publishing biannually and in print. The new site will feature digital work that a printed publication cannot and will publish more frequently.
“People can now submit a current events piece to be posted immediately, or a longer photo series, or even playlists they want to share,” said Fish.
c/o the-ankh.org
“We love being a print publication, but it can definitely be limiting to only publish once a semester,” Fish added. “Our vision for the website was not to replace the print publication, but rather supplement it. The site offers a platform for students, staff, and faculty of color to share work they’re doing that can’t be printed on paper—music, video, etc.”
The site also features a space for students and graduates to showcase and sell their work. Karmenife Paulino ’16 and Shirley Fang ’19 have a number of art pieces, photographs, and merchandise for purchase. Jewelry by Growavy founder Fortune Jackson-Bartlemus can also be found on the site. Each artist page features a gallery of work and a link to the artist’s respective store.
In a post on his Facebook page, Fortune expressed his excitement with the featuring of his jewelry on the website.
“Shoutout to everyone that put in work to publish The Ankh!” Fortune wrote. “Such an honor to have Growavy featured on the front page!!”
His jewelry can be purchased at growavy.com.
Fish hopes the online launch will allow the publication to honor new types of work and extend the reach of the Ankh.
“People of color on this campus are constantly creating amazing art and doing such important work, and we wanted to find a way to help share and archive it,” she said. “This site is and will hopefully continue to be a culmination of so many different people’s effort and commitment, and we as a staff continue to feel so in awe of and grateful for the student of color community on campus.”