Celebrating Two Years of Anxy
A letter from our Founder, Indhira Rojas
This month is the two year anniversary of Anxy’s launch. When I started this project, I didn’t know what to expect. Yet, I knew I desperately wanted to find stories that reflected the journey of navigating trauma and anxiety, like my own. I wondered if other people were longing to connect with deeper personal stories about mental health too. Stories told through a medium that was beautiful and intimate. I had to find out.
In the last two years, Anxy has grown to be a favorite among magazine lovers around the world. We’ve sold over 20,000 copies of Anxy, gathered over 30,000 followers across all social media channels, and distributed our magazines to local and international bookstores and stockists. Recently, Anxy was recognized by the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and San Francisco Suicide Prevention for its role in shifting culture and helping destigmatize mental health. We’ve received several awards by Stack Magazines and The Society of Publication Designers for our excellence in design, art direction, and photography.
We have accomplished more than we had ever imagined we could. In fact, at this stage, it’s hard to consider Anxy a personal passion project. Anxy is more than a magazine, it’s a global community—the voice of the mental wellness cultural movement. With 1.1 billion people worldwide who have reported a mental disorder, including 1 in 5 adults in the United States, we know the need for a relatable voice who gets real with you about your innermost feelings is more important than ever.
I have spent time thinking deeply about what all this means, for me personally, and for the way we have structured the work we do with Anxy. This has been the most meaningful project of my entire career, demonstrating vividly the power of vulnerability and artful expression. It has connected me to people willing to share themselves, and their stories, and allowed me to feel less alone, and seen.
When projects gain momentum the way Anxy has, the momentum is like a magnet pulling you in. It’s difficult to resist it’s pull and take a step back to reflect and recalibrate. To re-assess, and make some hard choices—to create a vision for what’s next.
But, we have to, or we risk following a thread without focus or intention.
Anxy will take a break this spring/summer. For us, this is a celebration. An act of honoring and acknowledging what we’ve accomplished and opening ourselves to all the possible futures. We are commemorating this milestone with a limited edition letterpress box set with all of
Anxy, The Biennial Collection launched via Kickstarter.
We are postponing the publication of Issue 5, until later in the year. We will be reaching out to subscribers with more information in the following week. We are instead choosing to use our time to strategize, re-energize, and dream big.
I’m proud of everything we’ve accomplished so far, and, and humbled to have you in this journey. Thank you for everything you have given to Anxy. Everything you’ve shared, and the courage you bring in opening your inner worlds to us.
If you feel inclined to share more, I welcome it.What are your dreams for Anxy?
Sincerely,
Indhira Rojas
The Biennial Collection covers two years of stories across four meaningful themes—Masculinity, Anger, Workaholism, and Boundaries. You can choose the whole set, or if you need to pick up one issue or just need the box to complete your collection, we’re making those available too.