Submission Guidelines:

• Essays, lyric essays, journal entries, prose, experimental non-fiction (including elements of visual art) with a cumulative word total between 3,500 and 5,000

• Multiple entries are allowed, provided the cumulative total of all entries does not exceed 5,000 words

• Individual art 

• Must be original, unpublished work

• File: Word document or PDF, 12 pt font, double spaced

• Include a short bio (100 words) with your submission

• Deadline: December 31, 2025 at 5 PM, Pacific Time

• Contact: SV.Submissions[@]writeme.com

• Submission Link: Black Women & Our Mental Health: A Collection of Experiences Form

Contributors:

Are you a Black woman with a personal mental health experience, a professional with experience providing mental health services to Black women, or someone else with relevant experience? 

We are curating an anthology that will explore the complexities of mental health in the lives of Black women—sharing stories of struggle, healing, resilience, and advocacy.  We are looking for submissions from former and current patients/clients, family members, caregivers, and all health care workers: medical support staff, nurses, providers, etc in the mental health specialty.

We welcome submissions from:

• Individuals with lived experience – Share your personal journey with mental health symptoms, mental health recovery, active substance abuse, substance abuse recovery, the stigma thereof, therapy/treatment, healing, etc.

• Individuals with vicarious experience – Give your account of how you spent time with someone whose mental health had an impact on you.

• Mental health professionals – Offer insight into the challenges and solutions Black women face in mental healthcare.

• Caregivers - Provide your prospect on managing another person's activities of daily living, medications,  entertainment, etc. while navigating their mental health concerns.

Topics May Include:

• Experiences with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or the experience of having a dual diagnosis (co-existing mental health and substance abuses diagnoses) other mental health conditions;

• Intersection of race, gender, and mental health;

• The role of faith, culture, and family in mental health;

• Experiences with therapy and access to mental healthcare (including the lack there of);

• Navigating mental health as a Black woman in the workplace, in motherhood, or in relationships;

• Advocacy, healing practices, and solutions for better mental health; and

• Any other topic you deem relevant within the scope.

If you have a story to share or professional insights to contribute, we encourage you to submit. Your voice matters.  For inquiries, contact SV.Submissions[@]writeme.com.