2026 Submissions
Self Improvement
I wrote this piece to explore the pressure to constantly "improve", and the danger hidden in the language of self-help.
Constant as the Rising of the Sun
I began this short story with the express intention of using third person to represent more than one character.
Blueberry-Scented Elegies
Last August, a stranger’s split-second conflation of accelerator and brake sent his car hurtling through my family’s post-funeral lunch, slamming into the table where I sat beside my grandmother’s best friend of 70 years, whom I’ve affectionately referred to as the “blueberry granny” all my life. That day, the life of this woman, once a connective tissue of my family, abruptly and tragically halted.
WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE / Ode to Mile Repeats / After
The uniting theme across these three poems is temporality: of friendships (WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE), of experiences (Ode to Mile Repeats), and of communities (After).
The Ferris Wheel
I wrote this piece over the summer, and I wanted to capture that feeling of being adrift.
Our bodies as tea
In the 1990s to 2000s, thousands of infant girls -- thought to be weaker, a worse investment than their brothers --- from China were exported to the US, collateral of the one child policy, and adopted by white families.
Where I'm from/Imposter Syndrome
The process of writing my “Where I’m From” poem, I had to confront my insecurities about my racial identity.
Protective Glass
I wrote this poem because I was worried that when I got older and lived on my own I would not be able to navigate life or figure things out by myself given that my Mom and my Dad do many things for me.
Just Off Franklin
In my poem, I hope to convey feelings of nostalgia and warmth from the moments that seem to slip by us so quickly.
Darwin: River of Souls, The Bride's Oracle-Thread
This piece is shaped by the many kinds of grief I've carried, family illness to cancer, leaving a toxic home, and watching someone I love struggle with depression and self-harm.
You’re not WANTED, not INVITED
I want viewers to understand that my piece explores the complicated line between friendship, envy, & pain.
our blood is never clean, The Final Blow, freeway
These poems were inspired by mother, who taught me about love, perseverance, and independence.
Our Family Vacation
This is a fictional story about a family's vacation as told from the points of view of the well-meaning but slightly clueless father, and the sullen, yet loving, teenage daughter.