The Kudzu Review celebrates the publication of its recent issue and encourages students to join the staff for the 2024-25 year

Article and photos by Jillian Kaplan

The dedicated staff and contributors of The Kudzu Review showcased their eagerly awaited Issue No. 72 during a captivating spring reading, held on April 19 at Tallahassee’s famed local bookstore Midtown Reader.

The ambiance of the event exuded warmth, radiance, and joy, accompanied by an array of laughter and delectable baked treats. The celebratory atmosphere wrapped up months of meticulous review and editing of numerous submissions to Florida State University’s undergraduate journal of literature and art.

The Kudzu Review is a creative outlet that offers a communal platform for FSU undergraduates to proudly publicize their artistic expressions, spanning the spectrum from fiction to nonfiction and poetry to art. The renowned undergraduate literary magazine stands as an inviting haven for innovative thinkers.

Upon entering the room at Midtown, attendees were greeted by Kudzu's staff, who adorned them with handcrafted flower crowns in the spirit of spring.

“Kudzu wants people to feel empowered to share their work with others,” said Havilah Sciabbarrasi, who was editor in chief for the 2023-24 academic school year. “Sometimes, it can feel like you’re creating your work or sharing your thoughts in a vacuum. We want writers to know that we see them and acknowledge them. You’re not just a page, and your work matters.”

English-Literature, Media, and Culture major Michelle Chadwell, who was the journal's lead editor of the Nonfiction section from May 2023 to May 2024, is going to be Kudzu's editor in chief for the 2024-25 academic school year.

At the culmination of each semester, the journal hosts its biannual readings following the launch of a new issue. These gatherings serve as a pivotal moment for authors to bask in their achievements amid a vibrant community of literary enthusiasts. The event also includes an open-mic opportunity, inviting the audience to showcase their own creative works.

Sciabbarrasi was part of the Kudzu staff for nearly two years. She began working on the nonfiction team in the fall of 2022 and switched to the fiction team for the spring of 2023. As she prepared to bid farewell to her coworkers and friends upon her May 3 graduation, Sciabbarrasi took a moment to reflect on the significance of readings. These readings serve as a crucial celebration, she said, honoring the immense effort poured into crafting each issue.

Alaina Gorley’s “The World in a Bottle” was published in the most recent issue. For Gorley, having her work featured in The Kudzu Review represents a significant milestone as it marks her debut as a published author.

She describes the experience as both "shocking" and "flattering," considering the remarkable talent included in previous issues.

“I think it’s always important for writers to push themselves to public speak,” said Gorley, who is a junior English-Creative Writing major. “I also think it’s really important to share writing with one another. Kudzu has a really strong writing community. It would have felt like a waste for me not to push myself to speak before I graduated.”

Surrounded by an appreciative audience, Gorley and numerous other writers took to the stage to share their literary creations. Emma Wasserman, another published author in Issue No. 72, contributed her short story "I Spoke To The Angel of Death Outside a Bar On The Corner Of Third Street.”

“Kudzu creates a space where we, as writers, artists, and undergraduate students, can really see ourselves reflected,” said Wasserman, a junior English-Creative Writing major. “To know that there’s a publication on campus that’s geared toward us as college students and actively cares what we have to say as creatives is really inspiring.”

After the reading had ended, the lights had dimmed, and most of the audience had left, Sciabbarrasi offered advice for students with creative ambitions. In a cozy nook tucked away on Midtown's second floor, Sciabbarrasi emphasized the significance of students' voices being heard and shared.

“Don’t be ashamed to submit your work,” Sciabbarrasi said. “It’s not about everyone else, sometimes it’s just about you. Kudzu is really interested in hearing the stories that can’t come from anyone else; it’s yours. If you want to, just do it.”

Sciabbarrasi recommends that writers should listen to that voice, especially when it is encouraging them to share their ideas with other people. The staff will be a willing audience to listen and not turn you down.

“With Kudzu you’re never going to be in an environment that isn’t welcoming to you and doesn’t want to hear what you have to say,” she said.

Kudzu’s Issue No. 72 is available digitally or by print for a fee. Applications for submissions to their next issue open in the Fall 2024 semester.

Applications to join Fall 2024 staff are now open. Apply through the journal’s website before the August 29 deadline. Follow their Instagram account to stay informed and for the latest updates.

Jillian Kaplan is an English-Editing, Writing, and Media major, with a second major in media communication studies.

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