MISSION

In The Fray is an online magazine for writers and artists to explore global issues and engage readers with personal perspectives and critical analysis.

 

GOALS

  • to promote global understanding and equality through the power of journalism and art.
  • to function as a nonprofit entity, without relying on commercial interests for support.
  • to publish superior writing and artwork in a professional manner, with the help of a team of committed, volunteer staff.
  • to produce a site that is the collective perspective of our many writers, artists, and staff members.
  • to cover issues that are of interest to the progressive community (including inequality, race, gender, sexuality, and the environment), but to welcome other perspectives on these issues, so long as they meet our standards of high-quality, honest writing.

 

A BRIEF HISTORY

In The Fray launched on April 9, 2001. An all-volunteer staff created the magazine with the goal of helping readers better understand the experiences and perspectives of other people through powerful, personal stories on global issues. In The Fray has always featured original reporting — a rarity on the Web — with firsthand accounts and exclusive interviews from around the world, as well as compelling personal essays, commentary, cultural criticism, photography, and artwork by contributors from all walks of life. Over the years, the breadth and ambition of our work have grown. We have published articles from writers and artists on all seven continents, and our content has won national recognition from journalism and advocacy organizations, including an Excellence in Online Journalism Award from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association and nominations from the National Press Photographers Association and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (2005, 2006, and 2007).

In The Fray, Inc., the nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that publishes the magazine, was established in 2000. The magazine’s founders were Victor Tan Chen and Alexander T. Nguyen. Our logo was designed by solargun.com.

To read the articles selected for our annual Best of In The Fray series, use the following links: 2012 | 2010 | 2009 | earlier years

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Aimee Walker
Aimee Walker has been a fundraiser since 2001. She has worked to grow and diversify income for a variety of nonprofits, including social service, arts, and social justice organizations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Smith College and an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. Her poems and reviews have appeared in national magazines and journals, and she has received poetry scholarships and grants from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the Astraea Lesbian writers fund.

Natasha Johnson
Natasha is an activist, legal specialist, educator, and proud Brooklynite. Currently, Natasha teaches law and ethics at a number of universities. Most recently, she was traipsing through the Pacific Islands and helping to update outdated laws. She’s worn many different hats, including working with homeless youth and survivors of domestic violence. Natasha also teaches at local colleges and lectures on issues of gender and human rights. When she grows up, Natasha aspires to found a nonprofit agency that will provide legal services and legal reform on behalf of African American, African Caribbean, Melanesian, and continental African survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). When Natasha’s not busy trying to right wrongs, she can be found dancing, making jewelry, practicing yoga, or moonlighting as a fashion stylist and interior decorator.

Sarah Wheeler
Sarah Wheeler will be attending law school in the fall and currently works in the attorney development department of a large law firm in Midtown Manhattan. She holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and Italian from Smith College and a master’s degree in art history from Penn State University. In her spare time, she is an avid photographer and writes a food blog.

 

STAFF

Victor Tan Chen, Editor in Chief and Cofounder
Victor Chen  is a sociologist who studies inequality. With Katherine S. Newman, he coauthored The Missing Class: Portraits of the Near Poor in America (Beacon Press, 2007), which was selected by Library Journal as one of the Best Business Books of 2007. He also contributed to the book Chutes and Ladders: Navigating the Low-Wage Labor Market (Russell Sage Foundation and Harvard University Press, 2006). His writing has appeared in Newsday and the Chronicle of Higher Education, among other publications. The son of Taiwanese immigrant parents, Victor was born in New York, and grew up in the suburbs of South Jersey. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife Emi, two sons, and one fat cat.

Mandy Van Deven, Managing Editor
Mandy Van Deven is a writer, global advocate, and online media strategist. Her work has appeared in the Guardian, GlobalPost, Salon, AlterNet, and Marie Claire, among other publications. She is the coauthor of Hey, Shorty! A Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment and Violence in Schools and on the Streets (Feminist Press, 2011). Although Mandy likes nothing more than a globe-hopping adventure, most days her curiosity is sated by living in New York City. Twitter: @mandyvandeven

Benjamin Max Gottlieb, Art Director
Benjamin Max Gottlieb is an award-winning multimedia journalist and photographer from Los Angeles, California. His work has been featured in a variety of news outlets, including the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, CNN International, NPR, DAWN, Global Post, and the Santa Barbara Independent, among others. When he’s not treating his severe case of wanderlust, Benjamin works as an associate producer for SoCal Connected, KCET Public Television’s acclaimed news magazine program. Twitter: @benjamin_max

Elizabeth Yuan, Contributing Editor
Elizabeth Yuan is a digital producer for CNN.com’s international edition and is based in Hong Kong. She has been a volunteer editor for In The Fray since 2005.

Susan M. Lee, Culture Editor
Susan M. Lee is a freelance researcher and writer based in Brooklyn. She also facilitates interviews for StoryCorps, a national oral history project. In her spare time, she maintains the blog Field Notes and Observations.

Victor Epstein, News Editor
Victor Epstein began his career as a freelance reporter while studying journalism at New York University. His work has appeared in the Queens Chronicle, the New York Daily News, and the New York Observer. He is currently working as a research analyst for a financial intelligence firm in Midtown Manhattan.

Ian Reifowitz, Staff Blogger
Ian Reifowitz is the author of Obama’s America: A Transformative Vision of Our National Identity (Potomac Books, 2012). He is an associate professor of history at Empire State College of the State University of New York. Twitter: @IanReifowitz

Tina Vasquez, Staff Blogger
Tina Vasquez dropped out of college to become a writer. She freelances in and around Los Angeles, California, her forever home. Tina is currently working on her first book, Growing Up Girl (Or How to Take a Seasoned Punch).

Aaron Richner, Technical Developer
Aaron Richner is a writer and editor turned web developer. He earned a BA in English a decade ago and is now hard at work on a BS in computer science. He believes that life requires balance: the yin and the yang, the silence and the cacophony, Pearl Jam and Nirvana. He previously served as editor in chief of In The Fray magazine (2008-2011).

Amy O’Loughlin, Contributing Writer
Amy O’Loughlin is a freelance writer and book reviewer whose work has appeared in American History, World War II, ForeWord Reviews, USARiseUp, and other publications. She blogs at Off the Bookshelf.