2020 has been a busy year for Sinister Wisdom. As always, Sinister Wisdom published four issues: Sinister Wisdom 115: Lesbian Learning in January, Sinister Wisdom 116: Making Connections in April, Sinister Wisdom 117: Lesbians in the City in July, and now Sinister Wisdom 118: Forty-Five Years / A Tribute to the Lesbian Herstory Archives in October. With Sinister Wisdom 117: Lesbians in the City, we published the fourth installment of the “Croning Project,” a series of reflections by readers on earlier issues of Sinister Wisdom leading up to our 50th anniversary of publishing in 2026.

Launch events have often been a part of Sinister Wisdom’s publishing activities; we have had memorable events at the Lesbian Herstory Archive, the San Francisco Public Library, and lots of other places in between. When the current pandemic arrived, Sinister Wisdom recognized people’s hunger for ways to connect through programs via Zoom. Sinister Wisdom responded; since April we have done one program a month, gathering lesbians to celebrate lesbian literature and lesbian lives. These events are free and open to everyone in the Sinister Wisdom community.

Here are some images from events we were proud to organize:

Celebration of Sinister Wisdom 116: Making Connections on April 28, 2020

Memorial for beloved Sinister Wisdom community member Shewolf on May 26, 2020

Reading at Charis Books & More on June 13, 2020 from Sinister Wisdom 116: Making Connections

Launch Reading for Sinister Wisdom 117: Lesbians in the City July 6, 2020

Summer's Last Gasp Reading on August 31, 2020

Sinister Wisdom Book Club Reading In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado on September 15, 2020

For upcoming events, monitor this page: http://www.sinisterwisdom.org/events

Building on this success, Sinister Wisdom initiated a book club, which met for the first time in September and will meet again in December, and monthly writing workshops. Now Sinister Wisdom volunteers and editors are planning more gatherings, readings, and workshops for 2021.

Financially, Sinister Wisdom had its best fundraising year ever in 2020. In total, Sinister Wisdom raised over $58,000. Just over $21,000 was from donations; about $18,500 was from sales--both in bookstores and through our website--and over $17,000 is from subscriptions. Sinister Wisdom's spending happens in six categories: Postage, Printing, Production, Promotion, Office, and Organization. A full statement of revenue and expenses is below followed by a balance sheet for the organization as of June 30, 2020, the end of our fiscal year.

In 2021, Sinister Wisdom will publish four more issues of the journal—and they are great ones. January will bring Sinister Wisdom 119: To Be a Jewish Dyke in the 21st Century; April will bring Sinister Wisdom 120: Asian Lesbians, and July and September will bring two more amazing issues. If our fundraising is successful, I’d love to drop in another bonus issue for 2021.

Thank you for all of your support for Sinister Wisdom. I am looking forward to reporting to you again in 2021 about our achievements.

Julie R. Enszer, PhD
Editor and Publisher, Sinister Wisdom