About Us

Our Mission

Penumbra Journal of Literature and Art at California State University Stanislaus began publishing its print edition in 1989. More recently, Penumbra Online now expands our reach for both contributors and readers into the virtual world. Through our yearly spring print edition, fall single-author chapbooks, and rolling online movie and book reviews, Penumbra and Penumbra Online offer a voice and a view for poets, writers, and artists of all backgrounds, ages, experiences, and walks of life. Conceptually, the term penumbra describes “a space of partial illumination (as in an eclipse) between the perfect shadow on all sides and the full light.” Such a zone offers neither full clarity of vision nor denies it completely, but lies between the blinding glare of the sun and the vision-cancelling darkness of unlit space. The penumbra’s median of illumination is precisely the place to examine what cannot be effectively discerned in the surrounding extremes. As our name implies, our aim and our mission invite what we see in shadow, “through a glass darkly” as it were, to step into the light of human intellect, emotion, and experience as expressed in poetry, short fiction, and the graphic arts. As an academic community, our roots reach deeply into the fertile soil of California’s Great Central Valley, and we always welcome literary works that capture some aspect of that experience—its landscapes, inhabitants, history, and tropes. But while one foot stands firmly in our home territory, with the other, we step into the world beyond seeking fresh perspectives and new voices that speak to the connections in our common humanity through the prism of our individual paths in life. We are committed to the idea that the support and propagation of literature, art, and free expression are vital to our university and our society. To that end and to promote fellowship and the sharing of ideas and knowledge, we have widened the scope of our efforts to include live workshops, community events, and public readings, as well as online podcasts, blogs, and streaming videos. We invite you to explore our website and get to know us. And should you find yourself so inspired, do as Walt Whitman advised and "contribute a verse" to "life's powerful play." We will be delighted to consider your submission for a future issue of Penumbra.

The Penumbra Staff

Penumbra's Literary Journal staff is compiled of graduate students from California State University, Stanislaus along with their faculty advisor.

Faculty Advisor

Tony Perrello earned a Ph.D. in Literature from the University of South Carolina and has taught in Stanislaus State’s English Department since 2005. Classroom teaching and mentoring students occupy the center of his professional life (he was named Outstanding Professor in the University in 2018). He publishes on a range of topics; for instance, he has discovered and translated a riddle buried in a medieval manuscript, identified an overlooked source for Shakespeare’s King Lear, explored the animal-human-cyborg continuum in Othello, and discussed the roots of modern consumer culture, the abjection of disposability, and the degradation of the global ocean in a study of Richard III. This is his first year as faculty advisor for Penumbra and Penumbra Online.

Intern

Sarah Hernandez is working towards a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Media from Stanislaus State. She began working with Penumbra in the Spring of 2024 as part of the editing and design staff and the Podcast team. She likes to spend her time with friends and family, along with her cat. Her favorite things to do are sing, write song lyrics, scroll through Pinterest, and she loves early 2000’s TV shows like The O.C. She is also excited to continue working on the journal.

Editor-In-Chief

Allison Westlund is currently a graduate student working towards a master's degree in English with a focus on Literature. She graduated from CSU Stanislaus in the Spring of 2022 with a bachelor's degree where she majored in English and minored in Journalism. Allison has been working on and off with Penumbra since the Spring of 2022 when she was an undergrad student. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her cat Mia and reading romance and fantasy novels.

Editor-In-Chief

Martina Bekasha is a graduate student pursuing her Master's degree in English with a focus on Writing Studies. With aspirations of becoming an author and screenwriter, Martina channels her passion for storytelling into her academic and creative endeavors. This is her second year contributing to Penumbra, a journey that began during her undergraduate studies, where she quickly realized how much she enjoyed the world of publishing and art. In addition to her love for writing, Martina is an avid reader and considers herself a true film enthusiast, often drawing inspiration from the cinematic world to enhance her creative writing. She is committed to perfecting her craft and dreams of one day seeing her work published and brought to life on the screen.