We’re living through a critical moment in history, and it’s more important than ever to lean into our humanity—our imperfections, our rough edges, our flaws. When we confront what makes us human, we begin to close the divide between us.
In this edition of the Sierra Journal, that spirit is reflected in a hand-made aesthetic that runs throughout the issue. 5 unique cover designs, ripped edges, scribbles, hand-scrawled text, and rotated pages echo the immediacy—and the confusion—of the present moment.
The design of the 2025 edition invites the reader to engage actively: to flip the journal, turn it upside down, and carve their own path through its contents. Readers are asked to follow a nonlinear journey and to decipher meaning in the messiness.
Art Director:
Aubrey Talley
Marketing Editor:
Sydney Alfonso
Designers:
Paige Butler
Ethan Lucero
Maya Taff
Editors:
Solustine AbdulKhaaliq Batcha
Dove Beardsley
Victoria Benavides
Joshua Ballestero
Jocelyn Chan
Grace Cordeiro–Micallef
Alise Everton
John Knadler
Stef Khartchenko
Chloe Lucas
Stacia McAnally
Logan Micallef
Elliott Naven
Stella Porteous
Tyler Simmons
Gavin Sokolsky
Mel Tio