Guernica is now producing quarterly themed issues that follow our regular online format, but that are centered on explicit directions within the intersection of art and politics in which we’ve been working for the last eight years.

The focus of the June 15 2013 issue of Guernica is Race in America. We are looking for work on race, especially from writers of color, speaking to racial justice issues that affect them and Guernica readers and writers. While this issue was conceived of within the scope of a topical, editorial project, we are using it as a platform to build relationships with editors and writers from a diverse slate of communities as part of a long-term effort to ensure that the writing and staffing of the magazine reflects the diversity of both our world and the city from which we publish.

In and with and beyond this issue we seek work addressing the intersection of race and class in areas such as: education, prison, policing, and equity in writing, publishing, journalism, art, poetry, and editing. Specifically, the focus of this issue is on blind spots: who and what and which conversations on race can and should be covered better in our area of the media.

We are inspired by writers, magazines, organizations here in NYC and elsewhere, and members of our editorial staff and writers whose work we’ve published who are engaged in racial justice work. Our editorial voice is also informed by who we are: an international, New York City-based magazine focused on intersections of literature, art, politics, and ideas, and at present still edited largely but not entirely by women and men who are white.

For this issue, which we take as a focused and transparent starting point toward more reflective diversity in writers, coverage, audience, editorial voice, and partnerships, we will publish a total of six interviews (conversations) and features (journalism, reportage, polemic, personal essay, creative nonfiction). We will also publish one or two art features, two works of fiction, and poetry.

To submit a piece for the Race in America issue, please follow our guidelines, and send in your work for consideration by May 10 to the Special Issues Editor at kaye@guernicamag.com. You may include “Race in America” in the subject line of your email. Work submitted for this issue will also be considered for future issues of the magazine.

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