We know there's been radio silence on our end. We are still going through submissions for Issue 14 and will announce when it goes live. Thank you so much for your patience and understanding, especially during these uncertain and stressful times

What we cannot stay silent on, however, is the lack of attention, advocacy, or calls for action from white writers + publications with white-dominated mastheads re: the murder of George Floyd + #BlackLivesMatter protests in the US

The optics of promoting virtual book launches, readings, and contests while ignoring the material realities of Black lives under white supremacy + police brutality, especially now, deeply disturbs us

We ask white writers and majority-white publications: How can you use your energy to write threads about accountability + "after" poems while ignoring BIPOC unless you can use them for "diversity points"?

How can you say you're "creating space" + "uplifting others" within our community when these spaces are filled with faces that look like yours?

When you say you support marginalized + underrepresented writers, are you putting in the work to amplify their voices, or do you just say this to make yourself look good?

What is stopping you from amplifying + materially supporting BIPOC, especially Black people, during times of collective pain and grief?

Why do you ignore BIPOC unless you can consume their words, their stories, their histories while dismissing their lives and pains?

Our masthead is majority POC. Our EIC is a biracial Asian woman, but none of this absolves us of putting the work in to create anti-racist spaces, amplifying calls for actions, and donating funds to on-the-ground and national organizations

The absolute silence of the white side of our community roars loudly in our ears

Challenge your compliancy with white supremacy. Amplify calls for actions, donate, show up for the BIPOC you say you support

BIPOC see your lack of action. So do something about it

We’ve matched EIC @petalledheart’s $25 USD donation to @MNFreedomFund with our own

Please match us if you have the means