An “undercurrent” can refer to a physical phenomenon or a metaphorical one.
Physically, it’s a flow of water or air below the surface. Metaphorically, it describes an underlying feeling, belief, or influence that is hidden, but still present, often contrary to what’s openly shown.
Undercurrent is a publication written, illustrated, designed, and edited by and for Queer & Disabled writers and artists in the Covid-realist community.
Our collective publishes politically engaged content and serves as a platform for creatives of marginalized identities to share their work in a community that is accountable toward our lived experiences and dreams. Our name reflects the fugitivity, flow, and quiet power of the lives of our community members–who continue to survive, live, celebrate, and grieve together in spite of all of the systems of power that threaten our safety, well-being, and joy.
Our name reflects the fugitivity, flow, and quiet power of the lives of our community members–who continue to survive, live, celebrate, and grieve together in spite of all of the systems of power that threaten our safety, well-being, and joy.
Undercurrent is committed to publishing and disseminating anti-ableist, anti-racist, anti-capitalist, and anti-imperialist works that drive forward our personal and collective dreams for stronger coalitions and more vibrant futures.
As a Queer and Disabled-led publication, our primary mission is to uplift Queer, Disabled, and BIPOC voices from our communities and provide a platform for exploring the multifaceted spectrum of lived experiences from New York City and beyond.
Accessibility is one of our core tenets and is infused into everything we do, including how we meet with one another and the process by which we publish our work.
Our collective operates in a hybrid format with virtual and in-person meetings and workshops, with precautions in place to be responsible for one another’s health and wellbeing within and beyond the context of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. We also reject capitalistic ideas of production, labor, and time in creating and disseminating artistic work.
Undercurrent recognizes that accessibility and genuine inclusivity require ongoing trust, conversation, and accountability with one another, as well as the audiences and communities we hold ourselves accountable to. Members of our collective live on stolen Lenape land (Lenapehoking) that continues to undergo occupation, and our relationship to this city and the land is a living process of learning and action that we uphold as fluid, evolving, and interconnected.
