Notes on Collagen by Fabiana Mattedi is a comic reverie developed by a middle-aged immigrant woman after bearing witness to a harmless exchange between two young women on the L Train. Leading our protagonist to expose all her fears and concerns about the false premises of security and confidence surrounding Beauty, which seems to dictate our society and, more oftentimes than not, is so ruthless towards women. Ah, Beauty, the idea that we should be able to keep it forever and avoid the new capital sin of aging. The paradox of it being both antidote and venom, a gift, and a curse. We are so taken by these certain so-called truths, not realizing that we are holding ourselves back into this false imprisonment. PASSING DOWN by Camille Upshaw is an intergenerational piece that celebrates black women and challenges us to think about the things we want to keep, change, and reinvent for our family lineage. Kyle Rea is a fiction writer who’s work investigates themes of gender, longing, identity, class, and more. Alicia Pilgrim presents an excerpt from ‘SABOTEUR’ a solo show that dives into the psyche. Tackling the inner hater that is trying to keep you protected but also limits all of your potential. What do we do when this voice has taken over and has caused self-opposed destruction?