Today we’d like to introduce you to Zachary C Jensen
Hi Zachary C , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am an English professor at four different colleges in Los Angeles (super adjunct) where I teach a variety of classes from composition, theory, short fiction, and Mexican literature in translation. I am also a writer working in the genres of journalism, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, as well as the occasional translation of Mexican poetry. Additionally, I am the managing and founding editor of the literary journal Angel City Review. We are about to celebrate a milestone of ten years working on this project. I’m excited to announce that we will be releasing a 10 year best of LA poetry anthology early next year to celebrate this achievement.
I personally do not think I do a lot of things, but sometimes close friends will remind me of all the stuff I am involved with, and I will realize how much I have done in my life so far. I think a large part of my perspective comes from the fact that everything I have built up has been very slow. As with anything, most people will start at the bottom of the ladder and work their way up. That is how it has been for me. So now, when I want to organize a literary reading or ask a writer I greatly admire to participate in a project, or even ask for a press pass for different events, I see these things as possible. For me, it all comes back to the idea of community, wanting to be a part of it, contribute to it, and leave a meaningful mark (albeit small) on anything I contribute to. For my writing, when focusing on my journalism, I have always had an interest in supporting and highlighting diverse voices. The ten years I was a writer for LA Record (RIP), I would prioritize writing about bands from LA that were comprised of POC artists. I especially loved a lot of the work coming out of the East LA Garage scene that picked up in the late 2000s and is experiencing a revival again. I also did early reviews for bands and artists that were just getting started at the time and are still going strong in various ways. Some of my highlights was being able to hear Kamasi Washington’s the Epic, months before it publicly came out and see him perform at a relatively small venue; that is almost impossible now. I was able to review a lot of Hanni El Khatib’s early work, as he did amazing things in the music world. I also had the privilege of seeing the amazing things Draag has been doing, especially with some big tours they have been on recently. This is the same for The Tracks and Matt Kivel; they are both some of my favorite artists. Having been able to build relationships with different musicians in my life has informed my own work.
As for art criticism, which I have been doing for Art Memo Magazine, I love being given the freedom to focus on art that I believe in and feel deserves recognition. That being said, I have made it a priority to write about BIPOC artists whose work uniquely contributes to this city in ways that only they could. Going to art fairs like Felix, I have been able to build relationships with various galleries doing amazing work. The Charlie James Gallery in Chinatown, through the artistic vision of Ever Velasquez, for example, has put out the work by artists Erick Medel, Danie Cansino, and Emelia Cruz who all have found completely different ways to create art that looks at and centers their own experience in astounding ways. If I were told a few years ago I would see art that reinvented what it means to “paint” by creating sewn paintings, I would not have been able to tell you what that could look like. Seeing the community they build inspires me to continue to contribute meaningfully myself.
Lastly, my passion project and the largest way I contribute to my community is through my work with the literary journal Angel City Review. I have been writing for quite a while prior to starting it, but I wanted to do something where I could build bridges as well as give space for newer writers to share the page with more established writers. The journal has always felt like a community service for me. I release every issue for free as an eBook and pay for all costs associated with the project out of my own pocket. Many of the writers who have given us the privilege of publishing their work now have books under their belt. Through this project, I have been able to publish many amazing poets and writers, as well as feature a large amount of book reviews from small press authors. More recently, I have been able to come full circle by expanding a music writing section on the site where I have partnered up with some great younger musicians to give them free reign to feature some things going on in music in LA right now.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has definitely not been a very smooth one, but it has been fulfilling. In the early years of the magazine, I was taking care of my paternal grandmother who was undergoing dementia. Doing that with little to no help was very difficult both physically and emotionally, and so, that took a lot from me. But it also taught me patience, grace, and to be understanding of people and what they might be going through.
Additionally, as someone who has never been interested in monetizing my work, financial strain has reared its head into my life on more than one occasion. But that just allowed me to find creative ways to get the stuff I want to do done. Same for traveling or acquiring things I need for projects. There are always good deals to be found if you are willing to be flexible. Would it be nice to make money from some of my projects? Most definitely, but it is never the primary reason for anything I do. Rejection can also hurt. As much as I have been able to build up some things, and as many milestones as I have been able to cross, no one is ever going to be able to do everything they would like. I have presented my creative as well as editorial work at festivals here in the USA, as well as quite a few places in Mexico, but having a panel for a writing conference rejected (when I know many friends whose panels were also rejected) it still can sting. This is the same for submitting creative work. It never feels good being told that what you sent is not the right fit. This is why it is especially not fun when I have to pass on work in my own journal.
Lastly, with my hand in so many pots, burnout can also be very real sometimes. There are periods where I wish I could just duck out into some cave and resurface after my year of rest and relaxation. But at the end of the day, I find all the things I do to be quite meaningful, and sometimes, I just need to re-frame my perspective. But a vacation here and there never hurts anyone.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I mentioned my music journalism and art criticism as well as my work as the managing editor for Angel City Review in a previous question, so I will focus more on my personal writing here.
My creative writing often focuses on the varying forms that solitude (both voluntary and otherwise) and loss can take in one’s life. My work seeks to examine both the pain as well as the beauty that can come from the moments there is no one around you, those quiet moments in between all the other living that we do. Taking care of my grandmother for many years while she underwent dementia has been a profound experience in my life and greatly informs much of what I do creatively. I am working on a semi experimental non-fiction memoir that explores the years where I took care of her, and that reflects on the years she took care of me. I know many people of my generation raised by their grandparents, and I see many people now who care for their own grandparents when no one else can or will. It is an interesting development in our generation, and it comes with so many mixed feelings. It is not like raising a child where you watch them grow and become their own person. You have to slowly watch someone who raised you, or at the very least was a special person in your life, slowly disappear. It’s quite painful, but it’s also an honor and privilege to be able to provide that care. I have thus been working on that book off and on for some years. I wrote a few different drafts that I have deleted, revised, and redone, and now I am rounding the final stretch with a draft I feel more closely represents the experience that both honors my grandmother, as well as gives a perspective that I feel people would resonate with.
While taking care of my grandmother, I also found my dog Francis abandoned one day in the park and scooped her up. She recently passed away at the age of 14 after a mixed year of difficult and beautiful experiences. Having that close bond with her also informed my work greatly as she was my sole companion in a few different pivotal times in my life, such as when I was caring for my grandmother as well as during the pandemic. Losing her closed a few chapters of my life I was not ready to quite shut. But sharing the love and loss of a pet who is more so a family member is something that has also deeply shaped me and my work. So, there is a project coming out of that to honor all that she did for me.
I guess, in my life, I have often had moments where I felt quite alone, and doing all these creative things has given me a connection to others. I hope that at least in some small way, my work helps other people feel a little less alone. Be it from sharing a love of music, an experience with heartache, or the loss of a family member, we all have similar experiences in life, and I would like to help others feel like theirs matters.
While much of my work deals with moments of great sorrow, I have had the privilege of experiencing deep and compassionate love. I am forever grateful for having the opportunity to know someone deeply who also cares to know me deeply as well. Who saw me and all my flaws and still saw someone worthwhile. Like anything in life, it did not come without complications, but I would not change it for the world. Being able to experience love is to see through the messes in life. To see the beauty even in times of great pain. So in a way, even when I am talking about sorrow, I am also talking about joy. Even when I am talking about the darkness in life, I am also talking about all the love it has to offer. Because, at the end of the day, life is all of those things and more, are what make life worth living.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
If anyone wanted to work with me, they could always reach out to me through whichever avenue is most appropriate. If it is about Angel City Review, they can email me through the email on the website. If it is journalism or creative collaboration, they can reach me on IG or through my personal website (that I’m still working on building up and updating).
If anyone wants to support, I always appreciate people sharing the various projects, reading the magazine and my reviews and creative work, or I’d even happily accept small donations for Angel City Review as well.
www.angelcityreview.com
www.zacharycjensen.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zacharycjensen.com
- Instagram: zachcjensen
- Other: https://www.angelcityreview.com
Image Credits
All photos of Zachary C Jensen are care of author himself. Cover of Angel City Review magazine was created by Zachary C Jensen with use of art by Rochelle Youk with the artist’s permission. The Art Memo Article features an art piece by Erick Medel with permission from the artist and the Charlie James Gallery.
