IMPULSE Magazine was conceived by Xuezhu Jenny Wang after she witnessed first-hand the difficulties that immigrant artists experienced. At the time, Wang was the writer-in-residence of The Immigrant Artist Biennial 2023. She spent her time writing about immigrant artists, and during her interviews, she discovered the multitude of issues that adversely affected them. Wanting to shine a light on the stories of these creatives, Wang started IMPULSE Magazine, an online platform that amplifies the voices of marginalized communities.

Its mission states: “IMPULSE Magazine is a women-led arts and culture publication driven by storytelling. Committed to the representation of marginalized voices in the creative industry, we explore the intersection of immigration and gender rights.”

This women-led arts and culture publication focuses on immigrant artists and highlights the various challenges that are specific to their experiences. Advocacy for change within the arts industry is an essential part of the magazine’s focus, along with providing a space for the stories of underrepresented artists.

Many people are not aware of the various challenges that immigrant artists face. Financial difficulties can affect artists in different ways. In some cases, artists have had their work offers rescinded once their immigration status was ‘found out’ by institutions that were at first willing to hire them. Other artists are not able to receive proper payment for their work. The O-1 visa application is for those who have an extraordinary ability or achievement in particular fields, including the arts. Specific requirements can sometimes result in artists exhausting themselves to fulfill them. Sadly, there are artists who are trapped in abusive marriage arrangements because they cannot leave due to it affecting their status. All of these situations cause not only financial hardships but also emotional distress.

IMPULSE magazine spotlights contributors such as Atreya Mathur from the Center for Art Law. She has written articles about the O-1 visa application that provide important information to readers. Reiko Fueting, who is a professor from the Manhattan School of Music, was the subject of one of the many interviews focusing on the immigrant experience. Fueting was born and raised in East Germany before the Berlin Wall fell and relocated to the United States to further his education.

The magazine also interviews immigrant couples, professors, creatives, and attorneys in an attempt to provide a panoramic view of the complexities of the immigrant experience. The magazine hopes to be ‘true-to-life” and present an empathetic picture. Though immigrant stories can be harrowing, the magazine hopes to also provide an optimistic view that shows all their various aspects. Highlights of these conversations can be found on the IMPULSE Magazine Instagram account.

Though the political reality in the US looms large in the mission of IMPULSE Magazine, the publication also addresses immigration issues across the world. To focus attention on border disputes and displacement of people, the magazine has started a conversation series called “Migration in Dialogue.” The magazine’s team hopes that this coverage will allow the voices of immigrants to be heard and have an impact on the ongoing situations across the globe.