Liham Volume 4 Issue 1

Every year, Liham strives to share and promote the unique voices and stories of ISM's creative writers. This year, our objective is not any different. However, this year, Liham aspires to no longer be simply a place where writers may feel a sense of belonging, but also grounds upon which they may grow and develop. In this issue, instead of selecting a single theme upon which we may build our stories, the members of Liham chose a springboard from which to journey: the word "underground." Gaea Morales, our Assistant Editor-in-Chief; Isabel Lilles, our Creative Director; and I challenged Liham's writers to be original in the directions that they travelled from the initial idea of "underground." This year, we wanted diversity�—diversity that accurately represented the spectrum of talent that the writers of Liham hold. Within the following pages of this issue, I can proudly present the beautiful outcome of our experimentation: a diverse and varied set of written pieces showcasing the originality of Liham and its writers. Weaving through the sections of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and foreign language is a genuine sense of imagination recaptured. As you make your way through the offerings of this issue, I hope that you enjoy the myriad of pieces presented upon these pages and the vision of our writers emanating from their words.

Bianca Eyales

The Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Bianca EyalesAssistant Editor-in-Chief: Gaea MoralesCreative Director: Isabel LillesManaging Editor: Alyzza AcadioFinancial Managers: Franco Eizmendi, Kristen MirhanPRO: Kanako AraiLayout Designers: Erin Kawazu and Erica HengFiction Editors: Mia Kawazu and Yining ZhangFiction Writers: Miguel Gatmaytan, Clara Shin, and Ayushee Vohra

Non-Fiction Editors: Erin O'Reilly and Marina FerrerNon-Fiction Writers: Kenrik Ng and Ena Que Poetry Editors: Lisa Lee and Adelle DimituiStaff Poets: Alyssa San Jose, Bernice Delos Reyes, and Chase Burton Foreign Language Editors: Alice Lee and SeoYeon ChoiForeign Language Writers: Bianca Fuentes and Joyce Chen Head of Photography: Sierra LeeStaff Photographers: Jessica Frey, Charlene Mamaril, and Sunny Bae