A Letter From the Editor
⤏ WRITTEN BY GISSELLE PERNETT
⤏ GRAPHICS BY FAYE ORLOVE
I’ve read my fair share of letters from the editor but this is my first time writing one. I think the most important thing to know about me is that I hate math. I’ve never been good at it. The last math class I took was a math theories class that I technically almost failed because, surprise! I also hate reading. So considering the fact that a lot of jobs require you to be —at the very least— decent at math, I usually tell people I love writing because I hate math. But if I were being completely honest with you and less self-deprecating, I’d tell you how I have always loved magazines.
I’d also tell you how growing up, I would ask my mom to buy me an issue of J-14 or M Magazine anytime we’d go to Food 4 Less. How I’d steal magazines from the dentist and doctors waiting rooms. Or how having a subscription to Seventeen Magazine —while it was still in print— will always be the best thing that’s ever happened to me (and how mysteriously losing those magazines has been the worst.)
It would be remiss of me to not acknowledge how Jr Hi the Magazine’s success and longevity is thanks to the support from our community. The mag has gone through a couple of changes (almost enough to go on our own Eras Tour) since it was created in 2018, but the goal has always stayed the same —to prioritize the narratives of marginalized voices and showcase underserved perspectives on topics of feminism, creativity and survival.
I wish I could tell you how spending a lot of time reading magazines has prepared me for all of this but to be completely honest I never saw myself putting together an editorial calendar, planning out photoshoots and definitely never saw myself being the editor of a magazine. Maybe I’m too humble for my own good. I think people tend to have a lot more faith in me than I do in myself —but I’m working on it! I might not always know what I’m doing but I’m going to do my best to make sure more people know more about the people doing really cool work. I might not always know what I’m doing but I’m going to do my best to make sure more people have the space to talk about the cool stuff they’re working on, what song makes them cry and what meal reminds them of home. All of that matters to me. Ultimately, I want this magazine to feel as much yours as it is ours.
So, within Jr Hi the Magazine you’ll find conversations ranging from how Carly Jean Andrews makes being Jewish cool, to Nori Reed describing her experience as a writer on the first Disney Channel show to feature a trans character or why Dana Donnelly is the hottest Dana you’ll ever meet. You’ll also learn more about the unfortunate double-standard of dating apps, how Adobe has become inaccessible, a playlist featuring the actual voices of Rock n Roll and a lot more. I’d say we’ve been lucky to never have to be picky about what we publish. Putting community at the core of our mission has allowed us to cross paths with some really cool people doing incredible things.
There’s a lot more I’d still love to see for the mag in the future. We’re always looking for new and interesting pieces to publish. Interested in showing people your cool art? Know someone in your community you’d like to profile? Want to write about the astrology behind your favorite celebrity couple breaking up during Venus Retrograde? Or have a completely new idea for the magazine? Tell us about it on our pitch form! Between you and me, I’d personally love to see the return of Class Notes, our (previously) recurring series exploring topics like abortion, gentrification, and healthcare beyond the Instagram infographic. But that’s an idea in case any passionate researchers are reading.
Now, I love reading magazines and I love writing. But can you imagine how boring they’d be without photos? I’ll never shut up about how wildly talented the people we’ve worked with on photoshoots are. And I know there’s a lot more creative and talented people out there. Whether you’re a photographer, makeup artist, or stylist starting out or just looking to take on a creative project, know that the magazine is here and we want to work with you. Real talk, I know what it’s like to be in a creative field and feel overwhelmed, wanting to get your stuff published or having all of these dope ideas you want to try out. I’m here and ready to read your email.
All this being said, if you’ve ever written anything for the magazine, worked on a photoshoot with us or read anything on the editorial side of Junior High’s website, thank you. If you’ve ever said “Junior High has a magazine?” you’re only hurting my feelings a little bit. But if you’ve somehow made it to this letter, I hope you’ll click around (and never actually ask that question to my face.) A lot of love has and will always go into the production of this magazine.
<3
Gisselle