Dear readers,

Uprising from the very beginning has been a space for all types of students at the University of Northern Iowa to come together and collaborate to create something unique. This cohesion of diverse students pursuing different paths is what has made Uprising what it is today, which inspired us. Issue 20 challenges the boundaries of purity and separation by celebrating hybridity, fusion, and the dynamic nature of combination.

Focusing on identity, art, fashion, and society, amalgamation represents the fusion of differences, which can be harmonious, sometimes tense, but always transformative. Artist Spotlight showcases individuals whose art not only enhances but has transformed their identity as individual artists. Bagel Steak & Bluff Street encapsulates how individual members of two Cedar Valley bands come together to create and perform, showcasing their amazing talents. Teeth takes an alternative look at the theme of Issue 20. Commonly used in Dentistry as a mixture of elements, Issue 20 explores this while tying it to the overall meaning by using fruit, candy, and natural features to change the reader's perspective of the models featured in this photoshoot. Feminine Divine focuses on the relationship between Mother Nature and the featured models. Nature to most is just the background, but within this shoot, nature is foregrounded. With the purity of the white, worn by the models, Mother Nature stands out. Tied Together truly envisions the meaning of Issue 20 through the joint effects done by the photographer and the integrated design, tying the featured models and the entire shoot together.

As you flip thrugh every page, we want each reader to examine how diversity and contrast can coexist, interact, and evolve into a unified whole. From the photos, to the words, to the design of every page. Every element ties back to what this issue is about and how it has brought Issue 20 to life.

Nathan Kasal & Lily Munnik; 2025-2026 Co-Editors-in-Chief
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