The people who count for VIDA count because they love literature. It would probably be an understatement to suggest they prefer reading over math. We wanted to learn more about what drives the individuals who make the annual VIDA Count possible. And because we are so grateful to these interns for so generously volunteering their time, we’ve launched a fundraising campaign to pay our Counters.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I grew up in Richmond, VA, but for the last two years I’ve lived in Anchorage. I’m a poet, and I teach at the University of Alaska in the English Department. I also co-edit a little feminist chapbook press called Gazing Grain.
Why did you decide to become involved with the VIDA Count?
I first learned of the VIDA Count through a friend from graduate school. I had worked with her on a feminist journal, and I kept hearing how amazing VIDA was—both its mission and its people. The next time there was a call for counters, I applied; this is my now second year with the count, and I have been so inspired to work with such talented, dedicated, and genuinely funny writers and advocates on my count teams. This time around, I am one of the Count Coordinators for the Literary Landscape Count, which means that I get to meet twice as many excellent people.
Do you have a favorite book / poem / novel / short story?
Bishop’s Complete Poems is a frequently referenced text at my house. Each time I return to it, I find something new hiding in a corner. It’s also imperative to have a good moose poem on hand if you’re going to live in Alaska.
What literary journals would you suggest readers be on the lookout for?
Right now, my favorite journals are the Missouri Review, Colorado Review, and Cincinnati Review. It’s also my duty as a PacRim resident to point out that there is some amazing lit coming from the West Coast, including ZYZZYVA, Poetry Northwest, AQR, and alice blue review.
Kate Partridge is a graduate of Denison University and the MFA program at George Mason University. Her poems have appeared or are forthcoming in theColorado Review, Barrelhouse, Rhino, BLOOM,and Better. She lives in Anchorage, AK, where she is an instructor at the University of Alaska Anchorage and coordinator of the Crosscurrents Reading Series.