Alton Barnhart

SLUG’s Editorial Assistant Alton Barnhart truly embodies the quality of SLUG-ness, perhaps more than anyone. Writing has been a passion of his ever since he nearly got expelled for releasing an underground magazine in high school, and he has now tried his hand at just about every type of SLUG article since first starting as an Editorial Intern in November 2022. Barnhart’s creative metaphors make for hilarious social media posts and his offbeat story pitches result in diverse community coverage. He is also the keeper of SLUG’s ongoing archive project, tirelessly working to digitize years of the magazine’s print content from the ‘90s and beyond. Recently, he is most proud of his 2024 Slamdance Film Festival coverage. Barnhart says that reading and eventually working for SLUG pushed him out of his comfort zone and opened his mind to the grungy, punk, in-your-face, unapologetic and always-evolving underbelly of SLC.