The experience of biracial, queer people is an esoteric one in the Midwest. Nevertheless, it must be shared. Three culturally intersectional individuals tell about their worldview in this Op-Doc style video.
By Philip Runia *Published in Vol. 7 of Fools Magazine , Illustration by Tayden Seay The ruddy dirt in Texas, just after a Wyoming rain spattered across my back. The hide of piglets, squeezed squealing in my palms until almost white, but not quite. The lone drop of buttermilk chocolate that formed the mole under […]
by Philip Runia *Published in Volume 6.5 of Fools Magazine The cheep-cheep of the bird outside is rapturous. Not quite a joyful song, but as if it were demanding or anticipating that something happen. Though I don’t have my glasses on, I can tell by the gray shade of the sky and the cool smell […]
“Hey, it’s okay, don’t be upset.” Cody said. Cody placed his hand on my thigh, and I didn’t respond. His fingers pressed low enough to be friendly, but high enough to remind me when we had been more. I crossed my legs, pushing him out of the space between my thighs. I looked away from […]
1918 Death does mysterious things to people. It can create sorrow, anger, riches and envy. It can leave the high-headed unbred. It can unravel the tightly wound, knot the unhinged. It can expose the true quality or value in a thing. Dusty, Dorothy thought, as she scrutinized the veneer of grime atop the chipped […]
An 8-year-old Jacqueline Fisher stared at the monkey bars above her head, gathering the courage to jump and grab one. She was taking too long – the other children pushed her aside and took the leap in front of her. A classmate from Taft Elementary shouted back a condescending, “Come on! It’s easy!” Fisher jumped […]
*Name has been changed for anonymity If you happen to find a package of Haribo gummy bears on the ground, feel free to indulge your sweet tooth — provided they are sealed. The 5-second-rule may have passed, but in Iowa City these gummies could be more than they appear. After popping a few in your […]
Sometimes it’s you in your bed, your grandchildren’s soft, sad eyes and your last breath surrounding you. Or you’re choking the life from the steering wheel of a sedan, gazing at the roadkill behind you and wondering why it was so important to look down and skip that gimmicky song. Or perhaps you’ve collapsed the […]
“[It was] more important for me to bring our culture to Coachella instead of bringing out my flower crown,” Beyoncé says in the behind-the-scenes footage from her concert film, Homecoming (Beyoncé 2019). Released on Netflix, it features her 2018 Coachella performance, which marked Beyoncé as the first black woman to headline the music festival since […]
It must be intentional that movie theaters darken the auditorium more than usual, when a horror film is shown. As the door closed behind auditorium 2, it was near impossible to know where to find a seat or who was watching the process. The tension was palpable in the darkness, and by the time Michael […]
Philip Runia