About

The Multi-genre Literary Magazine of UNLV

Mission

Witness seeks original fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and artwork that is innovative in its approach, broad-ranging in its concerns, and bold in its perspective. The magazine blends the features of a literary and an issue-oriented magazine to highlight the role of the modern writer as witness to their times.

Our mission is to amplify extraordinary voices, feature writers from every part of the globe, and highlight pieces that speak to the present moment in an enduring and distinctive way. The magazine seeks to open up conversations surrounding oppression and transcendence, prejudice and compassion, fear and raw honesty. The editorial team is also proud to feature the work of emerging voices alongside that of established writers.

History

Founded by Peter Stine in Detroit in 1987, the magazine is best known for showcasing work that defines its historical moment; special issues have focused on political oppression, religion, the natural world, crime, aging, civil rights, love, ethnic America, and exile. The issues “New Nature Writing,” “The Sixties,” “Sports in America,” and “The Best of Witness, 1987 – 2004” eventually appeared as university press anthologies.

In 2007, Witness moved to the Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The magazine now publishes one special print issue and one general online issue each year and increasingly seeks out work that contextualizes the writer’s experience by highlighting issues of global concern.

Masthead

CURRENT ISSUE

Editor-in-Chief Xueyi Zhou

Managing Editor Billy Lezra

Engagement & Design Editor Leah Mell

Fiction Editors Tanya Shirazi & Heather Wells Peterson

Nonfiction Editor Emma Hardy

Poetry Editor Jo Wallace

Editorial Assistant Charlie Bartlett

Faculty Advisor Maile Chapman

Publisher Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter – Black Mountain Institute

Founding Editor Peter Stine (1987-2006)

Founding Publisher Sidney A. Lutz

Editors Emeritae Amber Withycombe (2007-2012); Maile Chapman (2012-2018); Hanna Andrews (2018-2019); Jarret Keene (2019-2020); Emily Setina (2020-2021); Robert Ren (2021-2022); Areej Quraishi (2022-2023)

PAST ISSUES

Click on an issue below to view its masthead.

Contact

Witness
Black Mountain Institute
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Box 455085
Las Vegas, NV 89154-5085
witness[at]unlv.edu

Etc.

Booksellers can order Witness through Ingram Periodicals, Ubiquity Distributors, and Armadillo Trading, Inc.

Witness is a proud member of the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses [CLMP].

In Solidarity

Witness stands in solidarity with historically marginalized communities. Being an issue-oriented magazine, we platform authors from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds in the hopes that this will bolster their voices in their fight for justice and equity. To learn more, click on the tabs below.

Witness Tip Jar

Thank you for your interest in our magazine. We publish writers who engage with the complexity of our times — and we pay them, too. We believe that literary communities should put artists first, and your support helps us keep paying them year after year. So if you have some dollars to spare, please drop them in our tip jar. We promise to pay it forward.

Stop Asian Hate

We denounce the increasing instances of bias, harassment, and violence against Asian and Asian American individuals in our community and elsewhere. We recognize and grieve the devastating effects of anti-Asian rhetoric, and we stand with all of those who are experiencing this and other forms of racism and xenophobia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Can you get a Witness?
Why, yes. Yes you can.

Become one of our members to subscribe to two years of everything we make. You’ll receive our themed, print issues as well as our capsule/zine issues!

Visit our online shop to get started with a membership, or to order individual issues.

Looking for a specific issue or back issues from the vault? Contact us via email and we will make sure to oblige!

2-year membership: $30

Current issue: $14

Specific back issues: $10

Mystery issues from the vault: $8

Zines/Capsule issues: $8

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Winter 2020

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Editor-in-chief Jarret Keene & Emily Setina
Managing & Engagement Editor Lindsay Olson
Fiction Editor Wendy Wimmer
Assistant Fiction Editor Robert Ren
Nonfiction Editor Cody Gambino
Poetry Editor Lindsay Olson
Readers Anthony Farris, Dylan Fisher, Ruth Larmore, Kathryn McKenzie, Chantelle Mitchell, Flavia Stefani, Jordan Sutlive, Ariana Turiansky, Alexandra Murphy, Bronwyn Scott-McCharen, Carrieann Cahall, Ilanit Moskul, Jo Hahn, Marycourtney Ning, Sanjana Gothi, Sarah Spaulding

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Spring 2021

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Editor-in-Chief Emily Setina
Managing & Engagement Editor Lindsay Olson
Fiction Editor Robert Ren
Assistant Fiction Editor Areej Quraishi
Nonfiction Editor Cody Gambino
Poetry Editor Heather Lang-Cassera
Readers Alexis Noel Brooks, Alycia Calvert, Benjamin Stallings, Chelsi Sayti, Claire Mullen, Dylan Cloud, Erin Turner, Flavia Stefani Resende, Jennifer Quintanilla, Jeremy Freeman, Jesse Motte, John Oldenborg, Jonquil Harris, Jordan Sutlive, Justine Baker, Kelly Lindell, Lynda Montgomery, Mir Arif, Percy Kerry, Sara Guiang, Sara Tausendfreund, Sarah Spaulding, Stephanie O’Brien, Stephen Ira, Steven Aiken, Talia Aharoni, Tonya Todd, Vandana Sehrawat, Veronica Klash, Win Frederick

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Winter 2021

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Editor-in-Chief Emily Setina
Managing Editor Christina Berke
Engagement Editor Lindsay Olson
Fiction Editor Robert Ren
Assistant Fiction Editor Areej Quraishi
Nonfiction Editor Cody Gambino
Poetry Editor Andrew Collard
Readers Erika Abad, Steven Aiken, Mir Arif, Justine Baker, Alexis Noel Brooks, Soni Brown, Alycia Calvert, Cristina Cisneros, Dylan Cloud, Emily Daniel, Win Frederick, Sara Guiang, Stephen Ira, Eli Jacobs, Veronica Klash, Kelly Lindell, Lynda Montgomery, Jesse Motte, Stephanie O’Brien, John Oldenborg, Jennifer Quintanilla, Mark Ranchez, Flavia Stefani Resende, Chelsi Sayti, Vandana Sehrawat, Sarah Spaulding, Benjamin Stallings, Jordan Sutlive, Sara Tausendfreund, Tonya Todd, Erin Turner

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Spring 2022

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Editor Robert Ren
Managing Editor Christina Berke
Engagement & Design Editor Lindsay Olson
Fiction Editor Areej Quraishi
Nonfiction Editor Mir Arif
Poetry Editor Jo O’Lone-Hahn
Editorial Assistant Oona Robertson
Contributing Editors Alycia Calvert, Emma Hardy, Henry Gunderson, Eli Jacobs, Nicole Minton, Ezra Noel, John Oldenborg, Jennifer Quintanilla, Amanda Santana, Marlan Smith, Ben Socolofsky, Sarah Spaulding, Sara Tausendfreund, Olivia Williams, Sara Guiang
Readers Erika Abad, Justine Baker, Charlie Bartlett, Alexis Noel Brooks, Veronica Klash, Alice Letowt, Laurel Miram, Jesse Motte, Mark Ranchez, Benjamin Stallings, Vandana Sehrawat, Tonya Todd
Faculty Advisor Maile Chapman

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Fall/Winter 2022

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Editor Robert Ren
Managing Editor Christina Berke
Assistant Managing Editor Benjamin Stallings
Engagement Editor Lindsay Olson
Fiction Editor Areej Quraishi
Assistant Fiction Editor Xueyi Zhou
Poetry Editor Jo O’Lone-Hahn
Nonfiction Editor Mir Arif
Editorial Assistant Oona Robertson
Faculty Advisor Maile Chapman
Readers Erika Abad, Helen Armstrong, Justine Baker, Charlie Bartlett, Audrey Bauman, Sara Brown, Alycia Calvert, Cristina Cisneros, Post Earth, Jordan Forest, Sara Guiang, Henry Gunderson, Stephen Ira, Eli Jacobs, Veronica Klash, Alice Letowt, Nicole Minton, Lynda Montgomery, Jesse Motte, Ezra Noel, John Oldenborg, Jennifer Quintanilla, Amanda Santana, Vandana Sehrawat, Marlan Smith, Sarah Spaulding, Kelly Stith, Sara Tausendfreund, Tonya Todd, Olivia Williams

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