Even in the days before Zoom classes and masked seminars, you would have been hard-pressed to find a student nibbling on a Café crepe in Professor Thomas Ferraro’s classroom. Professor Ferraro writes on his syllabi that students mustn't bring food into the classroom, not just out of courtesy for one another but because of “what Italians call amicizia: to break bread together is to bond blood, while withholding bread from others is to deny relation.” And, of course, in Ferraro’s class, relating to one another is what it is all about.
It was with this goal of relationship building in mind (along with some Ferraro food wisdom) that sophomore Rennica Huang founded The Wellian Magazine in the summer of 2020. In her freshman year at Duke, Huang—a student of biology with a particular interest in molecular biology—found herself in an English seminar with Professor Ferraro. “Before COVID,” Huang writes, “our class was held in the Allen Building (in a room much too small for fifteen people). Yet, that was exactly what Professor Ferraro had in mind: an intimate setting, familial and relaxed, where we could be sensitive yet informal, jocular and attentive. Like any good Mediterranean potluck, everyone should have something to offer (delicious food or compelling conversations—never arrive empty handed!).” She hoped that by founding a new student magazine she could bring together passionate students with different perspectives and “create another Mediterranean Dinner Table,” even as COVID limited her ability to actually dine with friends.
Like any good Mediterranean potluck, everyone should have something to offer (delicious food or compelling conversations—never arrive empty handed!)
The seats around The Wellian’s metaphorical dinner table are filled by editors and writers with a myriad of different interests and majors. Whether its Culture Editor Peter Nam, ‘23, a computer science major who enjoys gardening, or politics writer Quinn Smith ‘23, an avid photographer and filmmaker, The Wellian’s diverse staff is united by the common goal of providing a forum for Duke students to tackle pressing cultural issues through the lens of literary, historical, sociological and political analysis.
In only its third issue, The Wellian is already finding its niche, that is, no niche at all. Instead of focusing on a single issue or field of study, The Wellian gives its writers and editors license to explore their interests in long form interdisciplinary essays. On its (web) pages you will find analysis of Harry Style’s appearance on the cover of Vogue next to discussions of police brutality. This juxtaposition feels natural thanks to the diverse interests of the staff and the unique way that Huang approaches her role as Chief Editor. Huang notes that online magazines are accessible “mediums through which difficulties, paradoxes, and surprises of society [can] be examined” and sees it as her responsibility to “prioritize design and content to create a work that authentically connects with [the magazine’s] audience.” In short, Huang says, “A magazine [is] nothing short of a piece of art, where collaboration and diversity are necessary to deliver a striking presentation.”
The Wellian is a new magazine, but Huang took care to ground her first foray into publishing in history. Named for the legendary journalist Ida B. Wells, The Wellian honors its namesake’s devotion to truth and her constant search for the next frontier. The Wellian’s name, however, is more than just a tribute to one of the giants upon whose shoulders Huang hopes to stand. The name has also guided “the mission of [the] organization.” The Wellian has become a place for its staff to investigate the truths that define American life, and the invocation of Ida B. Wells’ name set a standard for the kind of writing the magazine hoped to publish.
Grounded in the work and writing of the past, The Wellian offers Duke students a fresh approach to the standard undergraduate publication. Writer and Literature Editor Akshaj Turebylu, a sophomore majoring in English, says that The Wellian has provided him and his peers “a great place for asking questions that are outside our academic fields.” Turebylu’s latest piece, entitled Who Runs the Kitchen at Wuthering Heights?, allowed him to explore the questions of class that lurk beneath the surface of Emily Brontë’s “uniquely morbid romance.” Although Turebylu’s academic focus is indeed English, his writing in The Wellian allows him to ask the questions that “you can’t take a class on, but are super interested in.” This ethos pervades throughout The Wellian as writers explore their hobbies and heritage alike.
Instead of working within the standard, submission-based, framework, Huang has emphasized the importance of community since the magazine’s founding. “Especially during COVID,” she says, “we wanted to emphasize community.” To this end, The Wellian set out to create a structure where writers and editors could build meaningful and productive relationships. In his role as the magazine’s Literature Editor, Turebylu has found that “getting to know how people work is super important for getting the best from them.” Even though he has never met some of the writers in person, The Wellian’s regular section meetings have given Turebylu the perfect opportunity to work closely with the smaller literature team. The staff also communicates informally, holding Zoom game nights and engaging in passionate group chat debates over the ethics of telling children Santa Claus exists.
The connection shared by The Wellian’s staff is apparent in their meetings—one of which I was lucky enough to sit in on—even as their writing takes wildly different turns. The “weakening [of] American democracy” is approached with all due seriousness by contributor Lihong Wang, while Culture Writer Gautam Iyer takes a firm stand against those who “unilaterally” condemn “mainstream art forms—especially rap,” as he jokingly begs that they be “banished to another dimension.” True to the “Mediterranean potluck” that inspired its creation, The Wellian shows that all students have something important to contribute and invites readers into the conversation, as if to say, “grab a plate, we’ve saved a spot for you.”
You can read the latest issue of The Wellian here and contact the staff here.
The Wellian is currently looking for Duke Students to serve as
If you are interested in joining The Wellian staff, fill out this link for the writing staff application or this link for the exec board application.
English Department