A festival celebrating local literature made its way to Riverside City College with the first “Lit-Chella,” celebrating student writers.
The MUSE Literary Journal hosted the event to showcase local writers, poets, screenwriters and comic artists. RCC’s quadrangle was filled with artists and readers alike, as they immersed themselves in local literature from May 12 to 14.
With support from campus organizations like LaCasa and Quill club, Lit-Chella aimed to spotlight student artists and bring in established authors and faculty members to share insight into the industry.
“Lit-Chella is the work of multiple voices on campus,” said 23-year-old RCC student Thomas Rosenfelder. According to him, the goal of the event is “uplifting the voices of those who don’t really have a voice. (It’s) a celebration of literature and a play on the conventional Coachella.”
The MUSE magazine is released every spring, recognizing its 40th year of production. The annual magazine involves contributing writers and poets from RCC.
For Rosenfelder, along with other RCC students, literature is an outlet for creative expression. However, the impact of writing extends far beyond the RCC campus. Students within MUSE have even taken to reaching out to writers worldwide to build a stronger community.
While the MUSE annual prints have been described as competitive according to RCC students, the MUSE magazine is more inclusive of specific RCC students.
“The zine is one hundred percent made for RCC writers,” said Rosenfelder, as he showcased the pages of the latest MUSE magazine release. “The journal is open to anyone, but there is no guarantee that you’ll get in.”
While the journal is the main facet of the MUSE publications, both students and faculty recognize the challenges that come with these submissions.
“Our professor loves to say that this is a time where everyone gets to lose,” said Rosenfelder. “There are a lot of people who submit to the journal, but they just don’t make the cut.”
Author, journalist, and writing coach Chanté Griffin attended Lit-Chella on April 14 to promote her book “Loving Your Black Neighbor as Yourself” and spoke to students about her experience as a writer. Drawing inspiration from her own experiences, Griffin used her writing to help others overcome the racial identity barriers that separate us..
“I have been writing for 15-plus years,” Griffin said. “My biggest obstacle was having ideas for years and not having the skills to make them happen. I had to start from zero and go to school to learn how to write properly.”
For the younger generation of writers, MUSE and the Quill club used the Coachella-like atmosphere to draw attention to newer literary artists and poets.
“Our target audience is college students, so we use Coachella to get people more involved in literature,” Quill Club Secretary and English major Skie Ocegueda said. “My favorite part so far has just been being able to spend time with my friends.”
Although Lit-Chella is a new addition to RCC’s annual list of events for students, it highlights the effort that goes into it, which spreads beyond literature programs on campus. With a mix of different types of literature, diverse skill levels, and a community-driven foundation, “Lit-Chella” has created a space for students and community members alike to share space in appreciation for writing.
