MEET OUR TEAM
Katherine Zhao
Founder/Editor-in-Chief
Katherine Zhao is a 17-year-old artist and writer from New York. In addition to being Editor-in-Chief and Founder of CSR, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of both her school newspaper and school literary magazine. She has secured many accolades for her work, including a 1st place title in the Wildlife Forever Fish Art Contest, a Best of Issue win in the National High School Poetry Contest, 1st Place in the YWJ Writing Competition, multiple Gold/Silver Keys in the Scholastic Awards (in Drawing, Digital Art, Poetry, etc.), a Top 5 win in the NCTE National Writing Award, and a Finalist designation for the NY State Poetry Laureate title. Her work has been published in TeenInk (print), the Blue Marble Review, the WEIGHT Journal, Firework Stories, and more. She is an avid language learner as well, being fluent in Mandarin and French and having won 1st place internationally in the National French Exam Competition. She also finds artistic catharsis through music, having played piano for several years and placing in multiple international competitions and recieving a "Distinction" designation on ABRSM Level 8 Performance. When she's not creating, you can find her watching reality TV or frolicking in New York City's museums.
Isabel Gan
Poetry Manager
Isabel is a writer based in California who loves evocative imagery and the em dash. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Paper Cranes Literary, and her work is published or forthcoming in The Greyhound Journal, Fleeting Daze Magazine, and Black Fox Lit, among others. When not writing, she loves late-night musings, reading up on composers' biographies, and hot soup on rainy days.
Sofie Pawelko
Blog Manager/Prose Editor
Sofia is currently a senior in high school and has a strong passion for writing, particularly about the entertainment industry. She loves reading romance, watching and reviewing films, and contemplating the universes existence. One day, she hopes to be a film journalist, sharing her ideas and thoughts on nuanced pieces of media.
Alistair Gaunt
Poetry Editor
Alistair Gaunt (they/he/she) is a Filipino queer non-binary poet born in Southern Philippines. She is a self-taught writer, with English being her third language. Their writing contemplates the queer experience, violent desires, peculiar dreams, death, grief, and catharsis. When not writing poetry, she spends the rest of her free time painting, reading, making coffee, traveling, and watching sunsets collapse into dawn. He is currently a full time university student, taking up Bachelor of Science in Psychology. They may be contacted through alistairgauntwriting@gmail.com.
Prose Manager
M.S. Blues
M.S. Blues is an 18 year old multiracial, queer, and versatile writer who has been writing since the age of seven. Her work revolves around the darker pieces of humanity society tends to neglect. She has been abundantly published by many literary magazines and currently serves as an editor to The Amazine, Adolescence Magazine, The Elysian Chronicles, and Hyacinthus Zine. Her Instagram handle is @m.s.blues_
Rithika Panchumarthy
Art Manager
Rithika is a 15 year old from New Jersey, U.S. who is enamored by art, literature, media, journalism, and politics. Her favorite things include anything written by Joan Didion, advocacy, writing, painting, Normal People (the book and the show), and playing tennis. She has had artwork and writing published in various places and interns for local law firm. She loves to travel and meet new people!
Executive Board
Editors and Staff
Poetry Editor
Evan Violets
Evan Violets is an 18 year old writer and editor from Singapore. A self taught creative fuelled by love and music, Evan has written several standout poems, including "we paint this turbulence in hues" which earned him a Pushcart nomination in 2022. He is currently also editing with several other international magazines and organisations including kaleido zine, sorry! zine, the adolescence magazine, care canvas collective, the epistemic nexus review, mélange magazine, made 4 u, the alexandrian review and more!
Agnes McCallum
Poetry/Prose + Layout Editor
Agnes is a 17 year old writer and editor from Melbourne, Australia. Since she could breathe she's been dreaming up stories, and now she helps others do the same! When she's not furiously typing into her notes app, you can find her making yet another Spotify playlist or baking at an ungodly hour.
Ayesha Nabi Khan
Art + Layout Editor
Ayesha Nabi Khan is a 15-year-old from Pakistan with a deep passion for the arts. Drawn to creative expression from a young age, she has explored various forms of artistry, including painting and photography. As she delved deeper into these fields, Ayesha discovered a strong interest in editing, which has since become a focal point of her creative journey. Through editing, she refines her photography, striving to bring each image closer to perfection. This has enhanced her skills and passion for visual storytelling.
Joy Yin
Prose Editor
Joy Yin is a 14-year-old writer, poet, and artist from Wuhan, China. Currently, she’s based in Mexico City. Joy has always had a love for reading and writing. She has works either forthcoming or already published in Skipping Stones Magazine, Scfaikuest, Triya, Star*Line, and more. Aside from Chromatic Scars Review, she also volunteers for Eden Mabel LitMag, Competify Hub, PinkGap, Auvert Magazine, etc. In her free time, she likes to curl up and read a good book (however, she doesn’t quite like rereading). Find her on Instagram at @joyyinm88.
Cryptid Parke
Layout Editor + Social Media Graphic Designer
Cryptid Parke is a college senior studying creative writing and editing & publishing. Growing up in the Midwest instilled Cryptid with a fierce love of the strange and lonely, and they can now be found leaving ghosts of themself in every place that they visit. When they are not busy haunting strange clearings in the woods, Cryptid is hard at work leaving drafts half finished, rotting on the kitchen floor, and cuddling with their cats. Their work has been published or is forthcoming in 'Buried Within: A Haunting Anthology,' the Windward Review, ScratchThat Magazine, Morning Star Literary, and more. Cryptid can be found on Instagram @cryptidparke and their work can be found on their website: https://cryptidparke.carrd.co/
Layout Editor + Social Media Graphic Designer
Nidhi Bhatia
With a passion for visual storytelling, Nidhi has spent the past two years crafting compelling campaigns for clients across various industries. Her journey began in her school days, where she played a key role in the magazine team and excelled academically, topping her class in the medical stream. But Nidhi's talents don't stop there - she's also an avid painter, sketch artist, and dancer, revealing a creative and artistic side. Her unique blend of skills and dedication makes her an invaluable asset to the CSR team.
Shannon Alfonso
Social Media Graphic Designer + Video Creator
Shannon is a rising senior in high school from New York! Her interests include reading, writing, drawing, traveling and more! She has a passion for writing especially, and has participated in non-profit organizations which have showcased her writing. She also loves to do art, and has been fascinated by it at a young age. Although she is not planning to pursue the arts career wise, she would like to be involved in a club in college or even sell her art on Etsy as a side job/hobby! She's so grateful for being a graphic designer and reel creator at Chromatic Scars Review, which has allowed her creativity to shine through.
Akia Estepa
Blog Editor
Fueled by her insatiable curiosity and determination, Akia is a Filipino writer who is always ready to bleed her inks into the world of creative and journalistic writing. Her passion in telling stories of hope and unraveling truth drove her to take a degree in Education for college.
Zoe Davad
Blog Editor
Zoe Davad is a writer from the Philippines, currently pursuing a bachelor's in journalism. Previously, her work has been published in Philippine Graphic and Business Mirror. Her creative interests include alternative fashion, time travel, and gaming.
Aishi Saha
Blog Editor
Aishi (she/her) is a final year postgraduate student of literature currently living and studying in Hyderabad, India. She is a queer woman who is particularly interested in the identity struggles of South Asian queer individuals, especially in how different and more complex they are compared to their white queer counterparts. She is also an extensive reader of poetry, a habit she picked up in high school to help her calm down whenever she felt anxious. She is and always has been passionate about bringing stories and the truth that they hold closer to the people of the world.