Call For Submissions
Colored Me is a compilation of personal narratives and critical essays that feature the unique contributions, experiences, struggles, and successes of Black women who are attending or who graduated from elite private schools. Your submissions are critical to this work.
Click to Submit Or Read More About Submission Details below…
The title of this volume pays homage to Zora Neale Hurston, who in her 1929 article “How it Feels to be Colored Me,” discussed being a “colored” woman in a sea of whiteness at Barnard College. She eloquently states, “Beside the waters of the Hudson, I feel my race. Among the thousand white persons [at Barnard], I am a dark rock surged upon, overswept by a creamy sea. I am surged upon and overswept, but through it all, I remain myself…” Colored Me will engage in a dialogue with ordinary Black women who have a story to tell about these unique environments, like Hurston and so many others. The strength of this volume lies in the telling of women’s stories, their experiences with problem‐solving, navigating often alien environments, and the community building techniques they used in their respective schools.
We encourage you to submit original art, creative writing, and personal narratives and critical essays that will contribute to this extraordinary conversation! As you reflect on your prep school experience and prepare your submission, please consider the following questions:
• What are the key components of YOUR story?
• What do you want parents of Black girls, school administrators, other sisters, etc. to know about your experiences?
• What were some of challenges that you faced in your prep school environment?
• What aspects of your experience are you most proud of?
Guidelines for Submission:
• Submissions must be your own original and unpublished work;
• Visual submissions must be accompanied by a minimum 100‐word description;
• Images must be submitted as .jpg, .gif, or .bmp files sized at 600 pixels wide with a minimum resolution of 72 dpi (300 dpi preferred); limit 10 images per submission
What to Submit:
• Personal Narratives: Submit your personal narrative. Limit 2000 to 5000 words. Please include an image for visual interest and a minimum 100‐word description.
• Creative Writing: Submit your short stories, poetry or creative essays. Limit: 300 to 2000 words. You may include an image for visual interest and a minimum 100‐word description.
• Art: Submit images of your paintings, drawings, sculptures, prints, or cartoons. Include a minimum 100‐word description. Upload .jpg, .gif, or .bmp files sized 600 pixels wide, minimum 72 dpi (300 dpi preferred). Limit 9 images per submission.
How to Submit:
To submit work for Colored Me, please click the following link and an email of your submissions will be sent to [email protected]
All submissions will be reviewed by the editing and publishing team. Submissions may be edited and/or formatted for inclusion in Colored Me. If approved and selected for publication, submissions will be posted to the Colored Me website. Once approved, submissions are not available for further editing by the original author. The original author will retain all pre‐existing rights to the original submission. The editor will retain all rights in any edited version of the submission and any derivative works. All individuals whose submissions are included in the volume will be given original authorship credit in the published volume. Please review our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for details.
Important Dates:
Phase I – Abstract selection: Deadline for abstract submissions is November 8, 2010. Please submit your 300‐500 word abstract to [email protected] with the Subject Line “Colored Me – Author’s Name.”
Phase II – Accepted Abstract Notification – November 11, 2010
Phase III – Submission of narratives (18‐ 25 pages): Deadline is December 8, 2010
Phase IV – 1st Review Notification: Deadline is December 15, 2010. (Accepted, Accepted w/Revisions, Decline)
Phase V – Submission of Revisions: Deadline is December 31, 2010
Phase VI – Publisher Review: January 15, 2011