A Compilation of her
Letters from the Editor
1998 through 1999
From Radiance
Spring 1998
Hi Friends,
Ah, springtime! I have to think hard
to imagine spring today, as it’s the middle of winter and El Nino
season here in Oakland—sixty-mile-an-hour winds and flooding
throughout the Bay Area. As rough as it can get here in “sunny
California”!
What do you think of our cover model,
Alan Morgan?! This young man has just won Hollywood’s Young Artists
Award for his original Target commercial. Thanks to Alan, his sister
Stephanie, and to Jenna Sol, for helping us kick off our Kids
Project.
In future issues we’ll print essays from and features about girls and
boys of all ages, as well as information for parents, teachers, and
others who want to help kids feel seen, loved, and valued for who they
are, whatever their size.
It’s about time, isn’t it?
A lot of this issue contains features
about people I’ve wanted to introduce to you for quite awhile. I’m
happy to display the wonderful sculptures of German artist Viola Jurgens.
Another inspiration from outside the United States is Linda Omichinsky,
from Canada. She created HUGS, a resource for teens and adults you’ll
want to know more about. Also in this issue, a refreshing way to get
active and enjoy nature from kayaking enthusiast Shirley Reynolds. And
when you read “Red Line,” the powerful story by a new writer for us,
Beth Shanewood, you’ll agree that she’s one we want to hear more
from in upcoming issues.
I also want to draw attention to our
Making News column where health educator and size-acceptance activist
Pat Lyons tells us about the January 1, 1998, editorial printed in the New
England Journal of Medicine. In a position unprecedented for this
conservative and highly influential journal, the editors actually
question the usefulness and safety of dieting and some of the
assumptions adhered to by obesity researchers and the diet industry.
They also call on doctors to help end discrimination based on size.
Lyons’s commentary on this is a must read for us all.
Watch for our Summer issue—it’s
gonna be big: Our Fourth Annual Swimsuit Edition will show off photos of
your adventures in the water! We were delighted with your response
to our call for Big Beautiful Beach Babes photos. Also for Summer,
Gloria Cahill has put together a fabulous interview with three stars
from Broadway’s The Life. I
first learned of this play about tolerance, self-esteem, and survival
when the cast sang one of its biggest hits, “My Body,” on the
Rosie O’Donnell Show last year. My jaw dropped! As Cahill says in
the introduction to her article, “‘My Body’ summarizes the show's
radical casting choices. Never has such a diverse collection of body
shapes and sizes graced a Broadway stage. The song, which was performed
by the company during the 1997 Tony Awards, could be seen an anthem for
many of the issues close to the hearts of Radiance
readers.”
Need some tips for good summer
reading? Our Summer book reviews will have you dashing to your nearest
library or bookstore. This Fall, we’re featuring favorite
cookbooks—those tried and true we couldn’t do without, as well as
specialty books for more extravagant and exotic meals. As you can see
from our classified ad in this issue, we’re wanting book ideas from
you, our readers, too. Send us a list of your
favorite cookbooks by mid-April: the title, author, publisher, year of
publication, and a little about why you love the book. Include your
name, phone (or e-mail) number, and city and state so that we can credit
you if we print your selection.
In future issues we’ll ask for your
favorite books in the areas of size acceptance and body image, stories
of strong women, books that have inspired you, books that give you tools
for feeling better, great mysteries, current and classic literature,
poetry, and just plain fun reads! Thanks, Oprah—it was your book club
as well as our own readers’ letters, that inspired us to give more
space to good reading.
I’m also happy to report that
we’re going to revisit a few of the women we’ve interviewed in the
past: for starters, Camryn Manheim, film actress and current star of
ABC’s The Practice
(Monday nights), will enliven the cover of our Fall issue.
Actress Elaine Miles has also agreed to fill us in on her life and new
roles since she played “Marilyn” on the popular TV series
Northern Exposure.
On a personal note, the past few
months here at Radiance
have
been quite a ride. I’ve come to a place where I can clearly say it’s
time to go bigger, for Radiance
to
shine even brighter. The mass market
is ready for our message! The magazine, our staff, and the vehicles
for expansion are in place to help make this happen. I’ve chosen a
small group of supportive professionals to work with us, and we’re
developing plans for increased marketing and visibility. We’ve signed
on with a new national distributor who’ll help us become more
accessible to readers around the country and abroad. Your continued
support is vital for us to keep moving along as we must. Please keep it
coming, through calls, letters, and contributions.
If you think you can help, please
contact me. I ask you all for your continued blessings for us and for Radiance
as she grows into her fuller purpose.
With this, I welcome you to our
Spring 1998 issue.
Take care,
Alice Ansfield
Founder, Editor, Publisher ©
|
