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About

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

Launched 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:

Editor Areej Quraishi

Managing Editor Benjamin Stallings

Engagement Editor Lindsay Olson

Fiction Editors Tanya Shirazi & Xueyi Zhou

Nonfiction Editor Dominque Conway

Poetry Editor John B. Oldenborg

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 (2021); Robert Ren (2022)

 

Fall/Winter 2022

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

 

Spring 2022 – Missed Connections

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


Fall 2021

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

 

Spring 2021

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


Fall/Winter 2020

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

Spring Issue 2020

Editor-in-chief Jarret Keene

Managing Editor Tamar Peterson

Fiction Editor Wendy Wimmer

Assistant Fiction Editor Robert Ren

Nonfiction Editor Cody Gambino

Poetry Editor Samuel Gilpin

Engagement Editor Lindsay Olson

Design Editor Erin Piasecki

Subscription Managers Ana Jimenez, Samantha Goodman

Readers Anthony Farris, Dylan Fisher, Ruth Larmore, Kathryn McKenzie, Chantelle Mitchell, Lindsay Olson, Flavia Stefani, Jordan Sutlive, Ariana Turiansky, Alexandra Murphy, Bronwyn Scott-McCharen, Carrieann Cahall, Ilanit Moskul, Jo Hahn, Marycourtney Ning, Sanjana Gothi, Sarah Spaulding

Fall/Winter Issue 2019

Witness Winter 2019 cover by Shravya KagEditor-in-chief Jarret Keene

Managing Editor Tamar Peterson

Fiction Editor Wendy Wimmer

Assistant Fiction Editor Robert Ren

Nonfiction Editor Scott Hinkle

Poetry Editor Samuel Gilpin

Engagement Editor Lindsay Olson

Readers Antonie Aquino, Jamison Crabtree, Spencer Darr, Kelly Elcock, Anthony Farris, Cody Gambino, Dylan Fisher, Roy Johnson, Ruth Larmore, Leisa Loan, Kathryn McKenzie, Chantelle Mitchell, Erin Piasecki, Daynee Rosales, Karli Rouse, Chelsi Sayti, Kate Shapiro, Flavia Stefani, Jordan Sutlive, Ariana Turiansky

Spring Issue 2019

Managing Editor Hanna Andrews

Poetry Editor Samuel Gilpin

Assistant Poetry Editor Sreshtha Sen

Fiction Editor Wendy Wimmer & Joe Milan Jr.

Assistant Fiction Editor Ernie Wang

Nonfiction Editor Scott Hinkle

Editorial Assistant Carrieann Cahall

Assistant Managing Editor Tamar Peterson

Social Media Assistant Cristina Cisneros

Readers Antonie Aquino, Jamison Crabtree, Spencer Darr, Kelly Elcock, Anthony Farris, Dylan Fisher, Roy Johnson, Ruth Larmore, Leisa Loan, Kathryn McKenzie, Chantelle Mitchell, Lindsay Olson, Erin Piasecki, Daynee Rosales, Karli Rouse, Chelsi Sayti, Kate Shapiro, Flavia Stefani, Jordan Sutlive, Ariana Turiansky

Winter Issue 2018

Managing Editor Hanna Andrews

Poetry Editor Oscar Oswald & Sam Gilpin

Assistant Poetry Editor Sreshtha Sen

Fiction Editor Joe Milan Jr. & Wendy Wimmer

Assistant Fiction Editor Ernie Wang

Nonfiction Editor Scott Hinkle

Editorial Assistants Katie McKenzie, Kate Shapiro

Social Media Cristina Cisneros

Readers Carrieann Cahall, Jamison Crabtree, Kelly Elcock, Dylan Fisher, Kathryne Gargano, Danielle Henry, Roy Johnson, Angelo Ligori, Claire Morgan, Karli Rouse, Kate Shapiro, Ariana Turiansky

Summer Issue 2018

Editor-in-chief Maile Chapman

Managing Editor Dan Hernandez

Poetry Editor Oscar Oswald

Assistant Poetry Editor Sam Gilpin

Fiction Editor Joe Milan Jr.

Assistant Fiction Editor Wendy Wimmer

Nonfiction Editor Scott Hinkle

Editorial Assistants Katie McKenzie, Kate Shapiro

Readers Carrieann Cahall, Jamison Crabtree, Kelly Elcock, Dylan Fisher, Roy Johnson, Karli Rouse, Kate Shapiro, Ariana Turiansky, Ernie Wang

Spring Issue 2018

Editor-in-chief Maile Chapman

Managing Editor Dan Hernandez

Poetry Editors Hanna Andrews & Oscar Oswald

Assistant Poetry Editor Sam Gilpin

Fiction Editors Lorinda Toledo & Joe Milan Jr.

Assistant Fiction Editor Wendy Wimmer

Nonfiction Editor Scott Hinkle

Editorial Assistants Carrieann Cahall, Katie McKenzie, Kate Shapiro

Readers Christine Bettis, Tim Buchanan, Carrieann Cahall, Kelly Elcock, Danielle Henry, Angelo Ligori, Becky Robison, Timea Sipos, Jack Stilwell, Ariana Turiansky, Ernie Wang

Cadere...THUMB

Winter Issue 2017

Editor-in-chief Maile Chapman

Managing Editor Dan Hernandez

Poetry Editor Hanna Andrews

Assistant Poetry Editor Oscar Oswald

Fiction Editor Lorinda Toledo

Assistant Fiction Editor Joe Milan Jr.

Nonfiction Editor Scott Hinkle

Social Media Carrieann Cahall, Katie McKenzie, Kate Shapiro

Readers Wendy Wimmer, Sam Gilpin, Noha Al-Badry, Christine Bettis, Tim Buchanan, Carrieann Cahall, Kelly Elcock, Danielle Henry, Angelo Ligori, Ryan Molloy, Becky Robison, Timea Sipos, Jack Stilwell, Ariana Turiansky, Ernie Wang

 

Contact

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

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