L’Esprit de L’Escalier J u ly / a u g u s t 2 0 1 8 1 2 3 Adobe stock A new online literary journal opens doors to a welcoming sweep of French influences. R é s o n a n c e C arrier or creator of the heri- tage culture, or both? As I continue my quest to find the modern defi- nition of my French ancestry (to be Fran- co-American, French-Canadian–however you describe your bloodline), “the reject- ed stone becomes the cornerstone” is my mantra. We are not defined by French Can- ada since we have immigrated to the U.S. for generations, so we do not fit the Quebec model of a language-based identity. Insist- ing that individuals possess the French lan- guage as entry into the modern definition only serves to alienate the much-needed members to publicly identify as belonging to the heritage. We are not to be defined exclusively by those not of the culture, but we define our- selves from within and by speaking on our own behalf through creativity. The new- ly launched Résonance, an online, curat- ed, editorial-reviewed literary journal pub- lished by the University of Maine, seeks to encourage, showcase, and disseminate creative works by established and emerg- ing writers, primarily by and/or about the Franco-American communities of the United States. As the journal’s drama edi- tor Greg Chabot says, “Until recently, Fran- co-Americans have focused their efforts al- most exclusively on preserving and main- taining their language and culture. This is a past-oriented strategy that is useless if we hope to build a future. The future cannot be maintained or preserved. It must be creat- ed. To do that, we must ask questions, em- brace change, take chances, be different, ex- plore the banned and the damned, discard as needed, and embrace–as it benefits who we want to be.” With Résonance, editor-in-chief Steven Riel says he hopes to “make visible what has historically been rendered invisible.” The e-journal will provide Franco-Amer- ican writers an accessible opportunity to reach readers. It’s a tangible solution to the lack of work being distributed. “Social and economic pressure to assimilate into main- stream American culture caused many Franco-Americans to loosen ties with their ethnic roots and with the French language,” says Riel. “It will hopefully include not just literary works created by the descendants of French colonists in North America, but also those colonized by the French (i.e., Na- tive Americans, and Americans who immi- grated from other former French colonies), as well as those (like the Haitians) whose ancestors were enslaved by French colo- nists, when such writers’ work addresses in some way French culture and/or language.” As the editors say, “We do hope this journal will be one of the places where Franco-American creativity feels very much at home, and where you feel wel- comed.” As the editor of the Creative Non- fiction section of Résonance, I invite you to submit your creativity. https://digitalcom- mons.library.umaine.edu/resonance n RheaCôtéRobbinsistheauthorof‘downthePlains,’and editorofHeliotrope–FrenchHeritageWomenCreate. By Rhea Côté Robbins