Issue I

Dear Readers, 

It is with great pleasure that we introduce the first issue of our Linguistic Justice Journal. This journal is dedicated to exploring the experiences of people of color with language and linguistic injustices. Our goal is to establish a venue where historically underprivileged or marginalized views may be heard and amplified.

The Linguistic Justice Journal would not have been realized without the support of Dr. Sarah Primeau, Associate Director of UIC's First-Year Writing Program, Dr. Margena A. Christian, Senior Lecturer in English and the Linguistic Justice Journal's gracious faculty adviser, and Dr. Kim O'Neil, Senior Lecturer in English and Assistant Director of the Writing Center.  We thank them for their contributions to the journal and their partnership in creating the foundations for such conversations to be possible. 

Language is a powerful tool that can be used to both include and exclude. In a world where English is often considered the default language and non-native speakers are stigmatized, people of color face unique challenges when it comes to language. From microaggressions to systemic inequalities, linguistic injustices are pervasive and impact every aspect of our lives.

We have compiled a wide range of personal accounts and argumentative essays that throw light on these encounters for this problem. Our writers represent a variety of experiences and viewpoints, but they all strive to build a more fair and just society where everyone's language is valued and cherished. 

We hope that readers will use this space as a forum for discussion and understanding, and that it will motivate them to take concrete steps to alleviate linguistic injustices in their own communities, and even in their own minds. We encourage you to challenge what it means to be "better" at English in the global classroom. We challenge you to adopt more collaborative views on what constitutes professionalism in academic writing. We cordially encourage you to accompany us on this adventure and add your own perspectives and life experiences to the ongoing dialogue.

Sincerely,

Nati Madrigal, LJJ editor

Harley Kim, LJJ editor

Shaina Warfield, LJJ graduate editor