We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Emily Lauletta. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Emily below.
Hi Emily, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I found my purpose in life when I wasn’t necessarily looking for it. At 18 years old, I was lost and searching for identity and community in any place I could find it. In the fall of 2018 I began as an undergraduate student at Hollins University, a tiny, historically women’s college in Southern Virginia. At the time, I knew I had a passion for gender equity and wanted to major in gender and women’s studies, but that was about the only thing I knew about myself. It wasn’t until a year later, when I moved into my university’s arts house, that I began to better understand myself, and build a community that led me to discovering my life’s passion. While living in a shared space with 12 other people, I realized how much fun I was having learning their unique stories and seeing how we all expressed our lived experiences through art. This made me understand that creating a platform where those who live at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities can share their stories is something that I hope to do for the rest of my life. That’s why I started Arachne Zine. I hope to grow this project and create more ways for women, trans, and non-binary folk to share their worldview through art, music, interviews or any other medium they see fit.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a zine-maker. I just launched my first zine available to purchase, which is called Arachne. The title is in reference to the character from Greek mythology. I named it Arachne to honor my very Greek mother, and I also think the character is a perfect representation of feminist class consciousness, and reclaiming the feminine body from the patriarchy. (you can read more about these connections in issue 1!)
The purpose of the zine is to provide a piece of media that centers feminist arts and culture. I wanted to create a project that highlights art created by women, non-binary people, and trans folk. In addition to amazing art, the zine also includes original essays, collages by myself, and even some other fun things like quizzes. For each issue, a portion of the profits will be donated to a different feminist cause. You can buy the first issue of Arachne on Depop or Etsy, and the second issue comes out on March 31. Be sure to follow the Instagram page @arachne_zine for more details on how to purchase a physical copy, and for other fun content created by myself and our contributors.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I’m very grateful that I studied what I wanted to in college, as opposed to only picking my major based on what I thought would make me the most money. Since I’ve spent so much time studying gender and women’s studies, I’ve been able to figure out how to apply the things I’m passionate about to my everyday life, and to my career.
Having mentors has also been incredibly important to my growth as a scholar, writer, and creator. I’ve been able to learn so much from my two mentors, Dr. LeeRay Costa and Dr. Linda Perkins, not only about the field of gender studies, but also about how to live a full, rich life where I center the things that are most important.
Finally, I’d say an important factor in my journey has been the community I’ve surrounded myself with. My friends, roommates, and classmates have provided me with so much joy and support, and I probably never would have gained the inspiration to make Arachne without them.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I’m always looking for folks to collaborate with! I center the work of women, non-binary, and trans writers, artists, and content creators in my zine. I’m always accepting submissions at [email protected]. I also am looking for people with interesting stories to interview and feature in the zine, if you think that’s you, (or if you know someone you’d like to see in the zine) feel free to send me an email or shoot me a DM.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @arachne_zine
- Other: Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
Image 1 (of me): @realdrewlouis
