From the editors: CALYX started in 1976 because four local artists and writers saw a lack of forums for women's writing and art. Although things have changed, they have not changed that much. The creative work of women continues to be underrepresented. We receive testimony every week about the importance of what we do, of the necessity of the forum that is CALYX. Issues we cover include incest and sexual abuse, homelessness, aging and racism, as well as triumph over obstacles, love and relationships, and family.

A survey of catalogs from book publishers for 1996 showed that, as defined by these publishers, "literature" is only 25 percent female. Without forums such as CALYX helping to balance those numbers, the world gets a skewed vision of women's position in the world and misses out on the vital, creative energy of women.