Salutations, Editor, whoever you may be.

And to any others reading this inquiry.

   The intention for this letter, this query, is rather simple:

Why have I received three Editor's Choice badges unintentionally, yet when I make attempts to explain what it feels like to endure racial bias as a mixed-Black kid, or pour my emotions and pain out, typically in the form of a poem, hoping that they will be recognized with an Editor's Choice, they aren't?

   Allow me to clarify that I am not upset; I am simply curious. My first submission to TeenInk was a memoir on my personal experiences for the past thirteen-out-of-fifteen years of my life that I can remember. Took a while for you guys to review it, and when someone did, they messed up the title. (Still waiting on that to be fixed by the way, and trust me when I say I know you all are busy.) But, and this is a big but, it received Editor's Choice. 

   Believe me, that made my day. I wrote it originally as a narrative non-fiction assignment for my Honors English class, and my instructor recommended creating a TeenInk account so it could be published. It took a while, but I was excited. 

   My third submission, "the Ballad of Life," not only was awarded with the coveted Editor's Choice Badge, but was published in the magazine. Again, it took a while to hear back on its status in the contest, but nonetheless I was ecstatic when I found out it made the magazine.      I enjoyed this piece a lot. I had previously never written a ballad, although I had dabbled around with amateur poetry in the past. After I saw that there was a ballad-contest, I just had to try writing one. Unlike my first piece, this did not cover any political issues, opinions, or explain the feeling of constant oppression. And I am aware that not all works on these topics are worthy of Editor's Choice, in fact sometimes it is simple things like a good ballad that tugs at some people's heart-strings that do.

   On the topic of heart-strings being pulled, my fifteenth submission was my take on a love story. Again, it was a contest. Writing it was easy; heart-wrenching, yet beautiful stories are my forte. As well as the macabre, and morbid. Didn't think it would get Editor's Choice, but it did. Now this one I understand; it is a very wonderful story, however "sad" it may appear to seem.

   Including this piece, I have submitted sixty-five articles, poems, et cetera. Two have the little star next to them, and one now has a wonderful "MAG" emblem beside its title.

   I am not by any means attempting to induce the thought that I believe all of my works should receive Editor's Choice. I just find it rather odd that one submission may take weeks to go through, but on other occasions I submit a dozen articles one one Friday and they are all approved the following Monday.

   Sure, a few of my works have some mistakes, "typos" and such. But then again, I have seen articles that can't seem to even follow correct punctuation/capitalization that have received Editor's Choice. Although, I am not concerned about that.

   What I am curious about, however, is why none of the works I have written about racism/prejudice, besides my memoir, have received Editor's Choice. I'm not saying they are all great, but I poured my heart and pain into those, hoping they would be recognized. Not just the poems and works on prejudice, either. A lot of my other submissions I wished would at least get read by other people. Of course, I wouldn't have minded if they were to have been given an Editor's Choice badge. Then again, I wasn't expecting many of them to.

   Something I just realized whilst writing, is that this letter is entirely rhetorical. I'm not looking for a response, now that I think about it. I'm not looking for praise, and recognition. I simply just wanted my voice, and opinions heard.

   The wait-time to have a submission accepted doesn't bother me, unlike some. I know that those of you at TeenInk are constantly having to sort through hundreds of pieces. Nor does the fact that not many of my writings have been read by other youth. Not everyone gets noticed;  not all my work is worth reading. Not everything that I write, no matter how hard I try for it to, is going to get an Editor's Choice badge.

   Just know, that I enjoy writing. I love thinking of random little poems, or stories to write, and submitting them to TeenInk. It warms my heart to see even just one "Like" on any of those pieces. I used to write a lot more dark, and macabre short-stories, that I don't necessarily feel would be appropriate for TeenInk. I also used to just write a lot more stories in general. Something I realized, is that not many people care for long, drawn-out stories. Or even just short ones that are larger than the attention-span of those scanning past them.

   That is why I write poetry. It is both a way for me to get my raw emotions and thoughts out onto a piece of paper, or in this case a screen, and to potentially be recognized by other teens and people in general. I may have found TeenInk a little late, as I could've been submitting poetry I've written since I turned thirteen a couple years ago. And trust me, not all of them were that great back then, so perhaps it is a good thing. But do know that for as long as I can, submitting little poems and such to TeenInk will be my favorite pastime.

   - Cordially, K. D'Angelo Alexander

P.S. If you, the editor, understand where I am coming from, and why I wrote this, try letting me know by giving it an Editor's Choice, if you wish. It'll help me understand that my voice has been heard.

;)