There was some talk about linking Raleigh Review up with a local state university after our first issue was released. Instead of linking up with a Uni we rolled our organization off campus to a loft in the Five Points antique district of Raleigh. Our rent was affordable at that time, so we rolled with it for two years and had a blast serving the community at the height of the great recession. A number of characters, and some pretty odd propositions, came through our doors. When I heard rumors that our landlady said we were dealing in more than just magazines, books, and events, I immediately sent her our notice, and we swiftly ended that rental agreement with the full support of our Board of Directors.
We'd signed on to another much larger space that was in need of a lot of work and repairs. We took to it to get the space ready as we had Marie Howe flying in a few weeks later. That was quite an event and the community came out in droves for that free reading.
Shortly after three years of successful events, my preemie twins arrived three months early and that is the reason we changed gears, moving away from in-person events to focus entirely on the magazine. Things got tough at that point and there were many times we could have compromised our ethics, but still, we dug in, and we went virtual in 2014 before it was fashionable. We kept pushing forward to keep producing issue after issue for fifteen years now in all the right ways.
Our team, past and present, have been the very best friends and they have made my role as publisher to be so much fun and enjoyable. It is a lot of work that we all share. Some of our team members broke my heart when they had to depart our beloved magazine. Many have left due to expanding families, for the amazing miracle of life, and I must say, if I were not right here in Raleigh, I likely would have bailed as well when my twins were born way early. The team did allow me to take off nine months during that time, and I am very grateful to our team.
No one really can compete when it comes to those precious little ones.
And that brings me to our amazing Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Landon Houle, who has her priorities in order. We wish her and her family the very best in this joyous time as their family expands to include Little Baby Girl Houle! As with all who have to take a break for various reasons such as parenting (writers, artists, and poets do make the very best parents by the way) all are welcome to return whenever they wish. Our door is always open to those who put their families first.
We, with Raleigh Review, have done so well for much of the fifteen years without a physical space. That said, resilience, hard work, and know-how have helped us gain enough momentum to begin looking once again for a home for our Raleigh Review, and we are looking forward to making this happen.
I likely over-worry at times on what could happen with Raleigh Review after reaching a time when I can no longer run it and that is really none of my business. Answers to these questions are with our Board of Directors and our Team. I mean, as much as I take care in my role with the organization, Raleigh Review is not my only baby. When it comes down to it, this magazine belongs to everyone. That's one reason we went with the 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, to make this entity that is its own being. Raleigh Review is way bigger than any one individual.
Raleigh Review is now fifteen years old as of the 21st of February 2025, and Raleigh Review is not going anywhere anytime soon but we're weighing all of what could happen with the magazine when the current team can no longer continue. The important thing that we must remember is not to try to force anything. We must allow whatever will happen to happen organically without any undue pressure from any individual-including me, the founder.
