That’s What [We] Said was founded in 2018 by a seven-member collective that wanted to bring more attention to the value of the Gender and Women’s Studies program. The first volume was published in 2019 with a mission to “challenge social norms, facilitate a creative platform for an intersectional feminist discourse, and offer an approachable commentary,” writes founding member Christine Fedusiak, then a second-year student at UBC Okanagan.
The journal is published annually and features a diverse mix of poetry, music, visual art, photography, and articles. UBC Okanagan students from all faculties are invited to submit their work to the journal, in an effort to be as inclusive as possible, says current editorial member Sadie Taylor-Parks and fourth-year student at UBC Okanagan majoring in Gender and Women Studies. “Open access publishing is perfect because it allows the journal to be available and accessible to everyone rather than just [in] an academic setting,” notes Taylor-Parks.
Hosting a journal with UBC Library has added benefits for student journals looking for a UBC connection. “I would highly recommend OJS, but there are many different ways of doing it. I think that publishing with UBC contributes to effective world building pedagogy,” says Stephanie Awotwi-Pratt, a founding member of the journal and Gender and Women’s Studies student at UBC Okanagan.
That community connection is also fostered through the library, which organized a student journal community call with UBC and SFU open access journals. “Having the ability to connect and discuss with other publications allowed us to see how other journals operate and areas in which we can improve. We were also provided with helpful links and resources about guiding us through running a journal and the publication process,” says Taylor-Parks, who recommends that students focus on collaboration with their student peers and also with university resources and people, like Savage. “Don’t be afraid to connect and learn from the experience of those around you.”
Learn more about UBC Library’s Open Publishing Program.
About the UBC Library Open Publishing Program
UBC Library’s Open Publishing Program is an open access journal and text service to help UBC faculty, researchers, instructors, students, and staff develop open access publications for scholarship and instruction. This free service aims to advance open scholarship by providing the supports needed to make UBC information resources openly available. Learn more about our eligibility criteria and how to submit a proposal.