By Natalie Edmond
The dime, cold and metallic, melts onto her tastebuds. As she swallows the flat cent down her throat, her thoughts dim and her breaths slow

By Natalie Edmond
The dime, cold and metallic, melts onto her tastebuds. As she swallows the flat cent down her throat, her thoughts dim and her breaths slow

By Fernanda Contreras
I wanted to challenge social expectations and give the child the freedom to make their own decisions in a world that often overlooks them.

By Natasha Muriel
It is hard to live in a world
With many barriers and stigmas about
Gender everywhere

By Asia Marie Charles
When darkness creeps across the islands, you do not notice from the corner of your eye the way birds contort into something larger or the crickets quickly running sweat from something in the forest that wasn’t there a few hours before.

By Mike Ladzinski
Step 7: Now start writing the first body paragraph
Step 8: write the first body paragraph
Step 9: write the first body paragraph
Step 10: write the first body paragraph

By River Ordóñez
Look into my eyes not the cross on my neck
God would cry if he heard what I’d said
I would drink his tears nonetheless

By Shadai DeJesus
My work is inspired by documentary storytelling, hip hop history, and the connection between music and community.

By Janella Katapang
I am sorry
I lied when I told you were born from love
It’s not in our blood to lie

By Natalie Edmond
Tacos race across my mind
An aphrodisiac I hold onto
That mirrors the desire that aches for you

By Annalee Hardison
No amount of my grandmother’s exceptionally yummy mac and cheese will be enough to cancel out the impending terror that awaits me at the kid’s table.

By Deter Feliz
She waited until that final piece was laid down to call ICE.
On websites and where ever you get your news they will call these men
Saying “the six illegal aliens were arrested”

by Sead Cena
A young woman holds her infant wrapped inside a blanket during a Red Cross distribution of food and supplies at a Romani camp in Albania.

By Arben Alovic
My heart, it sits tucked away in a book
on the shelf to collect dust. Tickets for two to
Tokyo, unused. I never brought myself
to ask for a refund. Expensive bookmarks
to remind me of
what could have been.

By Roseirene Kalogianopulos
You know, I really thought I did a good job on that story, but I’m thinking back on my meeting with Rockplace.

By River Ordéñez
The knight kills for the many
Or so he says as he marches
Through the fields of red wheat
The bodies all counted

By Takashi Nakagome

By Adrija Vecenaite
The glistening of a star in the quiet sky,
The stinging pain in his left eye
For how long must he live in anticipation
Of when it will sting again?

By Lejla Krasnic
And why is it not me instead, why him,
Mother always said I was the brave one
He’s too soft, truly his mother’s son

By Tima Smallwood
Morning held hostage by time
Afraid of being late
No time for calls, dinner waiting
You rushing out the door

By Raysa-Marie LeMelle
How misfortunate am I
to have known her so intimately,
Yet kept at such a cruel distance.

By Shaneire Dames
Go on Rapunzel,
let down your hair,
for you’ve been captured your whole life.
It is only fair.

By Sebastian Ortiz (Vitale)
There are many things inside me
that I have yet to discover,
many flaws and gifts
that I still don’t see.
Interview by Charles Falivena
The masks can appear fun, charming, alluring, and/or hopeful but a part of you knows there’s something superficial about it.
Interview by Angelina Esguerra
I came across this new concept floating around called ‘the tropical gothic’. I always liked darker and macabre things, especially when it juxtaposed something that is seen as innocent and non threatening so I immediately loved the idea.
Interview by Asia-Marie
I’m most interested in capturing culture, community, and real moments in people’s everyday lives that are normally overlooked.