Undocupoets is issuing a two-part open call for submissions of poems by undocumented and formerly undocumented poets to be considered for an anthology forthcoming from HarperCollins/Harper Perennial.
In a broader effort to archive the significant contributions that undocumented writers have made to contemporary American poetry, this timely and distinctive anthology seeks to showcase the wide range of backgrounds, styles, formal experimentations, and aesthetics practiced by such contemporary poets according to and/or apart from their experiences and identities.
The vision of this project involves challenging misconceptions of what it means to write as an undocumented person in 21st century America; to offer a vision of the boundless possibilities of our art.
Poets whose work is accepted will be invited to write an accompanying statement of poetics (500 words) that speaks to how their lived experiences inform the choices they make on the page. With the support of co-editors and Undocupoets co-organizers Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, Janine Joseph, and Esther Lin, contributors will have an opportunity to critically define the various and unique ways their art and lived experiences interact.
This call is intended for writers who hold or have held undocumented status in the U.S. Undocupoets recognize and embrace the diversity in race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and country origin of writers among this group. We also recognize that as undocumented people, submitting and/or publishing may pose risks to the writer, their family, and/or their community. We offer privacy after acceptance and the option for a poet to publish anonymously. We trust in the accountability of writers to submit in good faith.
All contributors will be paid an honorarium.
Deadline to Submit has passed. We look forward to publication in Fall of 2024
Reviewers, if you would like to receive an advanced copy, please contact us directly at undocupoets@gmai.com