Greetings from Sampsonia Way!

We are all excited about this issue of Sampsonia Way magazine. With over 30 pages of original content it is our biggest issue yet. We present an overview of Haitian literature, have a conversation with poets Terrance Hayes and Lynn Emanuel, talk with jazz great Oliver Lake, and a report on how writers from all over the world have come to Pittsburgh as the result of a relationship between COA/P and the University of Iowa.

We are excited to talk with you about the complex issues presented in these pages—ideas about what constitutes free expression, how we define “politics,” and the role of the artist in society.

We are committed to conversation. We want to hear what you, our readers, think and give you an opportunity to debate the ideas presented. That is why we will be dedicating the next couple weeks to blogging on the stories in this issue. Each blog will offer the opportunity to add comments and provide information to us, and we hope that you do so.

To help encourage interactivity we invite you to join our fan page on Facebook. Here we will post our latest content for your enjoyment and comments. As an added bonus, for every 100 fans added to our fan page we will announce one winner of a free City of Asylum/Pittsburgh t-shirt. See our Facebook page for more info.