Tribute: Maganda magazine celebrated its 15th issue this past weekend. I saw the start of this magazine in 1989 in the UC Berkeley campus. I had doubts about its merit and about its direction. I had doubts about its ability to endure and flourish. I had doubts that there were enough writers, artists, dedication and perseverance to make it last 4 years. Its nice to know that I am wrong on all counts.

Secretly, passionately, I have envied the people who work at Maganda. They are so full of optimism, of hope, of vision, of devil-may-care attitude. I wish I was like them in so many ways. I long for the ability to create and then publish my own work. I long for the courage to face a nasty budget problem and to solve that lack of funds. I long for a challenge when I can barely pay my apartment.

We don't care that the world does not think we can do it. We will do it.

So, you don't have faith that we can do this? Well we do!

I don't know if the current members realize just how much of an opportunity they have in their hands. I don't know if they understand that the problems and the challenges that they faced created their character. Sometimes, you don't have the time to pay attention to what is happening inside of you when you are under pressure. Sometimes, you don't see it till 15 to 20 years down the line.

The topic this year is WAR. What vision! What creativity to tackle a subject so comprehensive and stultifying. You gotta give them a pat on the back for the hutzpah of just showing up and pulling it off. I wish I were 21 years old and had that much courage in my life. Then, I would not have to rely on my beauty, my long silken hair, my curvaceous body, my luscious lips and my brilliant intellect in my day to day existence. I could simply create the world anew each time I felt like it. Heres to Maganda! Here's to another fifteen years.

REtongHumahanga