Philadelphia Stories is accepting submissions for our winter issue: Black Lives Matter. Like much of the country, our team has been horrified witnessing the debilitating effects the coronavirus is having on the Black community and the police killings of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and 160 more this year. We hate to admit these tragic circumstances have forced us to reflect on our culpability and to recognize we have not done all we could to support Black writers and visual artists. We’ve been listening to our Black editors and staff, following conversations in the lit community, and paying attention to the response from other publications. Now is our time to act. Today, we renew our commitment and take the first step in a long journey of, not only amplifying, but also supporting and nurturing Black writers and artists.
Please send us your submissions, now and in the future. We want to share your stories of Black life. Tell us how you may be dealing with the pandemic, how the protests have impacted you OR tell us a story about how your community continues to thrive, continues to love. All subjects are welcome. We accept fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art, and hybrid work. Read more about our general submission guidelines here.
Note, we pay a small stipend, $50, for accepted literary work. We know this is not enough. As an all-volunteer organization, we will continue to strengthen our fundraising efforts. Hopefully, we will be able to pay our writers more soon. We know Black labor is not free, so we will continue to push for fair compensation.