Exposed Brick Literary Magazine or #BrickLit is a curation of quality writing and design, started by young creatives in Lawrence, Massachusetts. BrickLit is run by two friends and artists from Lawrence, Massachusetts: Milly Joseph and Gladys Wangeci Gitau-Damaskos who started this journey November 2019 during a conversation at a writing club in their local independent bookstore. They identify as writers and alliterates (people who can read but don’t always want to). This project was a way to encourage more creation and consumption of literacy and art in the city, a way for everyone to read and write more. At the beginning they faced the typical issues a startup publication might encounter: lack of funding and a dying print market. Soon they also had to deal with unpredictable factors, namely a global pandemic and political revolution. Inevitably, they were able to experience success due to a community that believes in them, artists who trust them with their creations, a team with a passion for the work, and a historical moment that reminds us all why this work is needed. Thus, they pivoted to a digital model and on June 21st, 2020–launching a beautifully curated 40-page literary arts magazine featuring twenty local writers and artists. 

 

Exposed Brick Literary Magazine started as a passion project by friends and became an offering of love in a time when we are all trying to figure out our roles in the world that is emerging before us. Before 2020, BrickLit believed that the voices of the marginalized were integral to building an equitable future. Now, more than ever, they are proud to have created this beautiful platform in service of that mission for their community.