WHO YOU ARE
WE SAID IT FIRST! - 36 CREATORS ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR JOURNEY.
DEAR ORBITER,
Welcome to Issue 20.
This issue was born from a simple, uncomfortable truth: most of us are fluent in explaining ourselves to others, yet strangely silent when it comes to celebrating who we are. We translate our worth into achievements, roles, or approval. We wait for someone else to say, “You did well.” We wait for recognition to arrive from the outside.
Issue 20 asks a different question: what happens if you say it first?
“Who You Are” is an invitation — and a small rebellion. A rebellion against the habit of shrinking, disclaiming, and softening ourselves for comfort. A rebellion against the idea that self-recognition must always come from someone else. We asked contributors to do something deceptively simple: compliment themselves in 50 words.
Not a résumé. Not a biography. Not a list of credentials. Just themselves. 50 words of self-recognition. For many, this is harder than it sounds. We have been taught humility so thoroughly that praise feels suspicious when it comes from our own mouths. We know how to critique our flaws with precision, but when asked to name our brilliance, we hesitate. We search for permission.
This issue removes that permission structure entirely.
36 - creators accepted the challenge. Thirty-three people chose to acknowledge themselves without waiting to be acknowledged. Because the truth is this: appreciation should not be a spectator sport. Recognition should not only arrive after applause. The journey you survived, the person you became, the quiet strengths you carry — these things deserve to be named by you. Because who you are, defined by you, is already enough.
COURTESY - PLANET RAL
WE ARE CAFFEINATED AND FUELED BY YOUR SUPPORT. TO BECOME OUR PATRON, A FOUNDING MEMBER, A COMMUNER, OR TO SEND A GIFT MEMBERSHIP CLICK THE LINK BELOW. HAVE FUN!🏵️🦋
Saira Anwar
I am an award-winning poet and a woman who helps others return to themselves. My words heal heartbreak, loss, and the quiet ache of self-abandonment. I write with honesty and compassion, creating room for others to feel seen. I honor my journey and the strength that brought me here. I am proud of my voice.
XOXO © SAIRA ANWAR @ 2026
Sue Banerji
Genuinely a kind person who is trying to take care of herself and still struggling. A woman who senses meanness as keenly as love. Respectful to other people’s space. I certify myself to be confident, caring, funny, intelligent and analytic, a nurturer, and an excellent cook. A lover of everything art, everything human...especially nature and science. A fervent reader, curious learner and writer of life. Full of flaws and dents and follies and imperfections, yet content and happy with who I am .
XOXO © SUE BANERJI @ 2026
Rosetta McKinnon
Eye'm more than what meets the eye, not what others say. Eye'm worthy. Eye validate myself. Eye'm stronger than Eye realize. Eye'm love. Eye'm BEAYOUTIFUL! Eye'm loved. My love is free, no price tags attached. Eye'm healthy, Eye'm healed, Eye'm whole, Eye'm complete. Eye'm not done yet, there's more of me to come. Eye'm all that you see and more.
XOXO © ROSETTA MCKINNON @ 2026
Chris B. Writes
A 1980s dreamer who became a 1990s product—mixtapes humming, notebooks crowded with restless ink, guitars echoing through unfinished thoughts. Time reshaped the edges: quieter victories, steadier hands, deeper gratitude. Words kept gathering like small constellations. Work. Care. Presence. Somewhere along the way, the truest title arrived softly and stayed - Bray Bray’s dad, learning patience inside the noise. The music still plays. Always.
XOXO © CHRIS BISCUITI @ 2026
Harinath👍✨
I walk this journey to connect, collaborate, create, and celebrate. From marathon roads to Himalayan trails, from building systems to building ideas. My scars include love that didn’t stay. I honor them. They remind me I lived honestly, gave deeply, and still move forward with courage and gratitude.
XOXO © HARINATH BABU @ 2026WE ARE CAFFEINATED AND FUELED BY YOUR SUPPORT. TO BECOME OUR PATRON, A FOUNDING MEMBER, A COMMUNER, OR TO SEND A GIFT MEMBERSHIP CLICK THE LINK BELOW. HAVE FUN!🏵️🦋
Therapy Truck
Writing as Therapy Truck on Substack, I do a great job of noticing others. I can tell if someone needs a pat on the back, a hand to hold, or a few words of encouragement. They say give what you need to get. I do.
XOXO © THERAPY TRUCK @ 2026
Erin O'Brien
I am still here. I didn’t give up.
I am more than what others need from me, still learning not to hide in shadows, still struggling not to wait for someone else to define me, still letting go of judgment, others’ and mine, still learning to see myself as beautiful.
XOXO © ERIN O'BRIEN @ 2026
LINDA AMATO
I AM Love! I AM Peace! I Am Joy! I Am Happy! I AM Amazing! I AM Honest! I Am Powerful! I AM Divine! I AM Me!
XOXO © LINDA AMATO @ 2026
Oli Trollgora
“Who are you?” I answer with my name “Wrong. That is how you are called. Who are you?” I answer, ‘a Son, a Father, a Brother,’ “Wrong that’s your place in your family, Who are you?” I spend time giving various answers until finally “I am Myself.” “Very Good” - (Inspired by "Babylon 5 - The Inquisitor")
XOXO © OLI TROLLGORA @ 2026
QuYahni B Joseph
Worthy of protection, valuable to the body that bore me but never recognized worth within her own life mirrored in mine, spiritual blessing to ones who chose feeding over wisdom. More than servant; spirit, breath and manifestor of good; meaningful and cemented in eternity as a beautiful creation. Love lives here for her-me, little, grown, then, now.
XOXO © QUYAHNI B. JOSEPH @ 2026WE ARE CAFFEINATED AND FUELED BY YOUR SUPPORT. TO BECOME OUR PATRON, A FOUNDING MEMBER, A COMMUNER, OR TO SEND A GIFT MEMBERSHIP CLICK THE LINK BELOW. HAVE FUN!🏵️🦋
Elizabeth Van Alstine
Grateful to be 74 years young, learning from my past experiences
XOXO © ELIZABETH ALSTINE @ 2026
Pingolika
I am worthy as I am. My dreams belong to me, not to the judgments of others. I will keep believing in myself and inspire others to rediscover the power of reading.
XOXO © PINGOLIKA @ 2026
Sacred Rebelle
I see you. The one who kept going when the road dissolved. Brave heart, stubborn light, unteachable tenderness. You learned to turn wounds into wisdom and still laugh at the sky. You are not late.
XOXO © SACRED REBELLE @ 2026
Gary L Taylor
I am flawed, not perfect, and I’m good with that. Past trials now a shield against most that tries to cause ill towards me. Focused only on being a good husband and father (and average writer in my spare time.
XOXO © GARY TAYLOR @ 2026WE ARE CAFFEINATED AND FUELED BY YOUR SUPPORT. TO BECOME OUR PATRON, A FOUNDING MEMBER, A COMMUNER, OR TO SEND A GIFT MEMBERSHIP CLICK THE LINK BELOW. HAVE FUN!🏵️🦋
Chris Craft
I am seen, chosen and loved unconditionally by the King. 👑 My joy and hope is instantly evident to all those I encounter and I am frequently asked for a dipper of wisdom from the well I carry inside my soul. I am a true princess filled with gratitude for the privilege I have to tell others of the goodness of the King.
XOXO © CHRIS CRAFT @ 2026
Raquel
I am all heart. I am magical. I have an incredible amount of depth, empathy, and intuition. I’m silly and funny. I’m imaginative and playful. I’m talented and beautiful. I’m kind and loving. I’m curious and efficient. I’m a problem solver, a dreamer, a nurturer, and I like to ponder.
XOXO © RAQUEL @ 2026
Sara da Encarnação
I ask the questions polite society prefers buried. I listen to silence until it answers. Writer, observer, quiet dismantler of shallow certainties. Loyal to depth, allergic to noise. If you follow my words long enough, you may find beauty, discomfort, and the unsettling pleasure of thinking.
XOXO © SARA DE ENCARNACAO @ 2026
Anna | Tender & True
I am compassionate, creative, and brave enough to tell the truth about life, love, motherhood, and advocacy. I have a soft heart and a strong spine. I am building something meaningful with my life and words. I deserve to be proud of how far I have come and who I am becoming.
XOXO © ANNA @ 2026
Progressionist Women
I am brave enough to start over in midlife when most people play it safe. I am honest enough to walk away from what no longer fits me. I am committed enough to show up for myself even when no one is watching. I am becoming her. And she is worth it.
XOXO © THE PROGRESSIONIST WOMAN @ 2026WE ARE CAFFEINATED AND FUELED BY YOUR SUPPORT. TO BECOME OUR PATRON, A FOUNDING MEMBER, A COMMUNER, OR TO SEND A GIFT MEMBERSHIP CLICK THE LINK BELOW. HAVE FUN!🏵️🦋
Netta Fei
I am she who is creatively different. A kind, freckled-faced Pisces who began, very early, to swim upstream. Against the current and the rocks of others’ expectations, I arrived here: my brave, spectacular True Self. Not for the world. For me, living, choosing, and honoring me as more than enough.
XOXO © NETTA FEI @ 2026
The WOW Words
I am… Free not forced; Fed not famished; Fire not iced; Faithful not fearful; Fueled not flushed;
XOXO © THE WOW WORDS @ 2026
Lorewright of the Triune
I am worthwhile. I have an illness, but it does not define me. I have limitations, but I am not incapable. I have dreams and the right to believe in them. My wife loves and believes in me, and I her. I am a good man who fights his difficulties.
XOXO © LOREWRIGHT OF THE TRIBUNE @ 2026
Taia Calle Belou
I’m a critical thinker, I’m smart, I genuinely care about people, I’m considerate, I’m creative, I’m imaginative, I’m beautiful, and I can always discover beautiful things in other people. I’m unique. I’m a thought leader. I’m highly dependable. I’m loved and I give love back. 🌹
XOXO © TAIA CALLE BELOU @ 2026
Michael Affronte Jr
I see you rise, Phoenix, and setting healthy boundaries, achieving goals, creating peace in your home. No need to fret the ones who don’t have the protection of your heart as a priority. They were necessary lessons, and helped you choose yourself. Focus on growing, refining your values.
XOXO © MICHEAL AFFRONTE @ 2026WE ARE CAFFEINATED AND FUELED BY YOUR SUPPORT. TO BECOME OUR PATRON, A FOUNDING MEMBER, A COMMUNER, OR TO SEND A GIFT MEMBERSHIP CLICK THE LINK BELOW. HAVE FUN!🏵️🦋
Denise Servais
Being a speech-language pathologist and raising a daughter with Prader-Willi syndrome taught me patience, humor, and how to speak up when it matters. My work helps children find their voices. My daughter helped me find mine. I’m proud of the strength, resilience, and advocacy those two roles built in me.
XOXO © DENISE SERVAIS @ 2026
Julia Dyviniak (JN Ashe)
I start my day with a story and a cup o Joe. Then I work on some medical doc business— The interesting and fascinating that requires close attention and skill. Then I return to create – pictures, poems, stories, and more. An old and new passion that feeds the soul, Sparking my interest—creating makes whole!
XOXO © JULIA DYVINIAK @ 2026
Rebecca Bonnington
Rebel Rebel is my favourite Bowie song. If there’s a rule that makes no sense, I’ll break it. Daydreaming is time well spent, I view it as an investment into my soul. Dogs are companions who love you no matter what’s happened that day, my kids love me too, but in a different way. I write to share joy, put a smile on peoples faces and sometimes think about things they might not normally think about. Love s what keeps us together.
XOXO © REBECCA BONNINGTON @ 2026
Regina Duke
I’m proud of the woman I am. Life has humbled me, stretched me, and asked me to let go of what was never really mine. What remains is more honest, more grounded, and more real. I trust myself now, and it changes the way I move through the world.
XOXO © REGINA DUKE @ 2026
Melinda Lloyd
“I am a grandmother, a clinician, a writer, and a woman who spent decades pouring into everyone else’s healing before turning that tenderness toward herself. I did not wait for permission. I built it anyway. Showed up anyway.
It turns out, I was exactly who I needed.” Aloha, Melinda.
XOXO © MELINDA LLOYD @ 2026WE ARE CAFFEINATED AND FUELED BY YOUR SUPPORT. TO BECOME OUR PATRON, A FOUNDING MEMBER, A COMMUNER, OR TO SEND A GIFT MEMBERSHIP CLICK THE LINK BELOW. HAVE FUN!🏵️🦋
Yvette Troyna
If I answered this question with 50 words, I’d say this to myself: “WOW. You’ve overcome so much, and yet here you are, saying: “Cmon, we got this!” while holding a lantern so people can trust themselves and live happier. I’m in awe of your tenacity, humility, authenticity, parallel-parking prowess, and love for others. Plus your hair smells like blueberries. Yum!”
XOXO © YVETTE TROYNA @ 2026
Stephanie Dee Smith
Had a family emergency. Here you go: I am a bridge-builder between worlds—government andcreativity, structure and imagination. I am a mentor, storyteller, andspark-starter who helps people see possibility where they once saw walls. Imove mountains for others and remind them they are not trees. I leave peoplebraver, brighter, stronger and more alive.
XOXO © STEPHANIE DEE SMITH @ 2026
Kate @ Sorted State
You cannot find peace inside your own mind. Silence is not easy to come by these days. You found a way to channel the potential energy into kinetic, Writing, writing it down and letting it out. You still end sentences with ‘but’… and that’s okay. You’re growing in amazing ways.
XOXO © KATE-SORTED STATE @ 2026
Amanda Aaron 🇨🇦
You are worthy, enough, beautiful. You are loved. You matter. The Divine is within you. You are well-resourced. You have the answers you need. You are worthy of rest, deserving of enjoyment. You make my heart swell with pride.Shine your light! The world needs more of you.
XOXO © AMANDA AARON CA @ 2026HAVE YOU EXPLORED OUR 107 PAGE CULTURAL MAGAZINE WITH 63 CONTRIBUTORS? - WE SAID “DAMN SCREEN LIFE AND ALGORITHMS!”
TAKE A TOUR WITH PLANET RAL ON OUR ARCHIVE OF 19 ISSUES
To the 36 - creators,
Who trusted this space with their honesty — thank you. It takes courage to speak about yourself without shrinking, to recognize your own worth without waiting for applause. Your words turned this issue into something living, a constellation of voices choosing truth over modesty.
To every Orbiter who read, viewed, reflected, and shared this moment with us — thank you for witnessing it. Publications are made of pages, but they only become meaningful through the people who engage with them. Your presence keeps this orbit alive.
Wherever you are reading this from, take a quiet moment to appreciate your own journey too. Your story, your scars, your persistence, your becoming — they all deserve recognition.
Fill your weekend with some good wine and some sexy FUN!
Much love from your editor and host,
Ral Joseph.
WE ARE CAFFEINATED AND FUELED BY YOUR SUPPORT. TO BECOME OUR PATRON, A FOUNDING MEMBER, A COMMUNER, OR TO SEND A GIFT MEMBERSHIP CLICK THE LINK BELOW. HAVE FUN!🏵️🦋
So lovely to get to know everyone in their own words. Beautiful work, Ral.
As a mother and advocate, it truly means so much to be included among such thoughtful reflections. Thank you Ral for creating space for people to share who they are in such an honest and meaningful way.
Motherhood has a way of reshaping how you see yourself…it softens parts of you, strengthens others, and asks you to stand up for things that matter. Being able to use my voice for my son, for disability advocacy, and for the kind of world I hope he grows up in is something I carry with deep pride.
I’m grateful to be part of this conversation and honoured to stand alongside everyone who shared their words here.