Freedom Papers
This is more than just a blog- it’s a movement. We are reclaiming narratives, amplifying marginalized voices, and advancing a vision of liberation that is intersectional, decolonized, and rooted in our lived experiences.
PALESTINIAN LIBERATION IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE
We write to you as children, nomads, diasporic peoples of the Global South. We represent peoples, cultures, knowledges and technologies of African, Latin American and Caribbean regions, and the US South. We write too from Atlanta—The Phoenix of the South, the Black Mecca, the South’s Gateway to the World—a city that is actively eroding the rights of its residents not unlike the systems, forces and ideas that are taking over your land, removing your people, and killing your families and neighbors.
FORWARD FROM SHROC20: ADVANCING THE FIGHT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
As we celebrate 20 years of strategizing, community building, movement artistry, and the vision of a bold, extraordinary Black woman, Ms. Jaribu Hill, we must also recommit to defending the full spectrum of human rights. We must commit to being accountable to our communities and each other. We must recommit to revolutionizing the values that stitch together our social contract.
Write for Freedom Papers – Share Your Voice, Shift the Narrative!
Freedom Papers is a platform for original commentary, analysis, and storytelling from a grassroots organizing and movement-based perspective. We center an intersectional human rights lens—uplifting the interconnections between race, gender, class, sexuality, disability, indigeneity, and more to advocate for a radically progressive human rights agenda.
We embrace a Radical Queer Black Feminist (RQBF) guiding framework and a spiritual foundation rooted in the sustainability of Mother Earth, human needs and desires, and the struggles for their full realization as defining the fullest extent of human rights. We welcome decolonizing and anti-imperialist perspectives on intersectional human rights.
Who Should Submit?
We seek contributors who are passionate about human rights, liberation movements, and justice, and who use their writing to challenge oppressive systems. We welcome a variety of formats, including:
Essays & Analysis
Poetry & Creative Writing
Book & Media Reviews
Interviews & Short Stories
We strive for maximum accessibility, which means entries should be plainspoken, grounded in real-world examples, and written for a general audience (advanced high school level and up).
Submission Guidelines
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Freedom Papers reserves exclusive rights of review. Submissions must not be under review elsewhere.
All authors retain full copyright of their work and grant Freedom Papers the right of first publication. If published elsewhere later, the article must credit Freedom Papers with visible attribution or a direct link.
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Contributors are required to submit a new piece once per month (or as commissioned).
The review process includes:
-Two weeks for the contributor to write and submit a full, complete version.
-One week for peer review and feedback from at least two other contributors.
-One week for the author to revise and resubmit before publication.The goal is to publish at least one post per week, and all updated submission timelines will be shared in advance.
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Essays & Interviews: 1400-1600 words (longer pieces may be published as a series).
Fiction & Creative Works: No strict word limit, up to the author’s discretion.
Style Guide: We recommend using The Chicago Manual of Style and The Diversity Style Guide for consistency in formatting, citations, and terminology.
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Contributors are invited to submit posts based on any human rights topic, from a local, regional, Indigenous/national, or international/global perspective.
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Include keyword tags relevant to your post for searchability.
Provide a short description (max 150 characters) summarizing your entry.
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A short (one-paragraph) bio that includes your background, affiliations, previous publications, or any relevant experience.
A high-quality photo of yourself for publication.
Optional images to complement your post (must include credit and permission for use).