seeking to create a collective body of work that explores the entangled histories of Black and Indigenous survival,
the realities of ongoing occupation, and the possibilities of solidarity, repair, and right relationship

Please review the following guidelines to help you submit your work.

Format & Length

• Written submissions should be 750 words or less
• Acceptable formats include .doc, .docx, .pdf
• Use a readable font (12 pt) and standard spacing
• Poetry may be single-spaced; essays and narratives may be double-spaced

Visual Art Submissions

• Submit images as JPEG or PNG files
• High resolution preferred (300 dpi if possible)
• Include a short description (1–3 sentences) of the work
• Please include alt text for accessibility. See notes about Alternative Text below. 

Title & Author Info

At the top of your document, please include the following:

• Title of your piece
• Your name (or pen name)
• Email address

Tone & Alignment

Our team has no desire to limit our creative partners to write in any particular style.

We are looking for:

• honesty
• clarity
• grounded reflection
• work rooted in lived experience

Avoid writing that is:

• overly abstract
• inaccessible
• disconnected from the project’s core themes
• Disconnected from your lived/embodied experiences

Your work can be:

• personal
• analytical
• creative
• reflective

Sources & Attribution

Sources are encouraged, not required. However, if your work draws on outside sources such as books, articles, documents, speeches, interviews, or other materials, we ask that you cite your sources.

You are never required to cite knowledge that is sacred, communally held, or otherwise not yours to share. The protection of that knowledge matters more to us than documentation.

If you are unsure how to credit something, do your best, and we will support you during the editing process.

Written sources (books, articles, reports):

Author Last Name, First Name. Title. Publisher, Year. [page or chapter if relevant]

Archival or primary sources (documents, petitions, speeches):

“Document Title,” Date, Repository or Collection Name [e.g., We Charge Genocide petition, December 1951, Civil Rights Congress]

Oral sources, oral histories, or community knowledge:

[Name or “Elder, Nation/community name”], in conversation with the author, [approximate date or “personal communication”]. — or simply — Oral tradition, [Nation/community name].

Images or visual works:

Creator Name (if known). Title or description, Date. Source or collection.

Personal memory or lived experience:

No citation needed.

Final formatting will be standardized during the editorial process.

Original Work

• Submissions must be original and not previously published
  
• Do not submit work that is heavily promotional or unrelated to the project themes

Use of AI (if applicable)

We recognize that some contributors may use AI tools (such as ChatGPT or other generative technologies) as part of their writing or creative process.

However, submissions to this project must reflect your original thinking, voice, and perspective. AI tools may support your process, but they should not replace your authorship. You are fully responsible for the integrity, accuracy, and originality of your work

If you used AI in any part of your process (brainstorming, outlining, editing, or generating alt text), please:

• Ensure all content is fact-checked, accurate, and your own
• Confirm that your submission is free from plagiarism.

AI tools should not be listed as authors or creators.

Inclusive Language

Inclusive communication refers to ensuring that communication is designed, delivered, and received that is accessible and welcoming to all individuals.

Inclusive communication creates an environment where everyone can participate, understand, and feel respected. We approach language as relational, and contributors should write with awareness of how meaning is shaped by culture, history, and lived experience. 

Avoid exclusionary or harmful language, and be mindful of how your words may impact different communities. Our goal is not perfection, but communication that builds clarity, respect, and shared understanding.

Accessibility & Alternative Text 

To support accessibility, we encourage contributors submitting visual work to include alternative text (alt text).

Alt text is a short description of your image that helps people who use screen readers understand what is being shown.

Good alt text should:

• Be clear and concise
• Describe the essential elements of the image
• Include any important text or meaning conveyed visually

Example:

“A black-and-white photograph of a group of Indigenous women standing in a circle, holding hands in front of a river.”