Dear Beloved Reader,
Wherever in the world you find yourself reading this from, Iris is so grateful to have you here! Although, just by virtue of where we are publishing from and the type of content we produce, most of you are likely connected in some way to UVA or the greater Charlottesville area. As such, in this issue, we wanted to highlight the amazing community, both within UVA and around Charlottesville, that surrounds and sustains our work at the Maxine Platzer Lynn Women’s Center. There would be no us without you!
Geovanna Murphy opens our issue by introducing us to the work of the Virginia Guide Service in “Guides Talk Guides,” having three current Guides answer some of the most pertinent questions relating to their positions as student keepers of UVA’s history. Similarly, Sydney McClellan interviews the director of Madison House’s HELP Line program in “Just a Ring Away: UVA’s Helping Hands (& Voices),” shining light on the services and community outreach opportunities offered by the anonymous crisis line.
Maxine Prudhomme explores both the greater cultural impact that The Rocky Horror Picture Show has had on the queer community and the joy that his own personal involvement with Rocky Horror at UVA has brought him in “Wild and Untamed Things.” CJ Ackerman-Garvin practices finding joy in the ordinary places around Grounds that we tend to walk past in their piece, “Love Letters to the Overlooked at UVA.”
Grace Traxler ruminates on the perspective she gained while spending a summer in Charlottesville and living alone in her essay, “Everyone Should Spend a Summer in Their College Town.” Finally, Emily Frost closes our issue with an interview of the founder of Be Somebody at UVA and prominent student leader, Annie Zhao, discussing all things loaded tea and reciprocity in “The Annie Zhao Agenda: Promoting Loaded Teas and Kindness.”
Thank you to the Social Media and Communications team, Leigh Ann Carver, and Annie Gibson for helping us through the technical aspects of this publication and continuing to do wonderful outreach work for Iris!
To the writers, artists, and editorial team, thank you all for continuing to put your whole heart into the work you’re doing, despite this being such a busy time of year. I appreciate you all so much!
Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate, and happy reading!
Lindsey Smith
Editor, Iris Magazine 2025-2026
