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Witness Magazine

Issues

In Print & Online Since 1987

Front Cover of the Spring 2024 Spring Print Issue

Print Issue: Spring 2024

The latest issue, featuring our 2024 Literary Award winners, as well as poetry, fiction and nonfiction that centers around the theme “Crush.”

Editor’s Note:

The theme of this issue is “Crush.” Inspired by the poet Richard Siken’s first collection Crush, the word is impossible to define because it extends much beyond romance: it is tenderness and strength, conviction and confusion, dissolution and immensity. We invited writers to interpret “Crush” loosely and expansively. The submissions we received made us feel seen, surprised, shattered, and everything in-between. After reading so many intimate and sincere writings, we bring to you a constellation of work that asks difficult questions about identity, grief, desire, compromise, and more.

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1980s-1990s | 2000s-2020s
Vol. XIII No. 2 Love in America 1999 contents
Vol. XIII No. 1 general issue 1999 contents
Vol. XII No. 2 American Families 1998 contents
Vol. XII No. 1 general issue 1998 contents
Vol. XI No. 2 Religion in America 1997 contents
Vol. XI No. 1 general issue 1997 contents
Vol. X No. 2 Working in America 1996 contents
Vol. X No. 1 general issue 1996 contents
Vol. IX No. 2 Rural America 1995 contents
Vol. VIII No. 2 American Cities 1994 contents
Vol. VIII No. 1 general issue 1994 contents
Vol. VII No. 2 American Humor 1993 contents
Vol. VI No. 2 Sports in America 1992 contents
Vol. VI No. 1 general issue 1992 contents
Vol. V No. 2 Autobiography 1991 contents
Vol. V No. 1 general issue 1991 contents
Vol. III No. 2 New Nature Writing 1989 contents
Vol. III No. 2/3 Experimental Fiction 1989 contents
Vol. II No. 4 general issue 1988 contents
Vol. II No. 2/3 The Sixties 1988 contents
Vol. I No. 3 Writings from Prison 1987 contents
Vol. I No. 2 general issue 1987 contents
Vol. I No. 1 The Holocaust 1987 contents

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Spring 2023

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Editor-in-Chief Areej Quraishi

Managing Editor Benjamin Stallings

Engagement & Design Editor Lindsay Olson

Fiction Editors Tanya Shirazi & Xueyi Zhou

Nonfiction Editor Dominque Conway

Poetry Editor John B. Oldenborg

Editorial Assistant Charlie Bartlett

Contributing Editors Henry Gunderson, Anne Livingston, Cecil Lycoris, Leah Mell, Marlan Smith, Kelly Stith, Carlos Tkacz, Jo Wallace

Readers Justine Baker, Carrie Bindschadler, Nicholas Bon, Sara Brown, Alycia Calvert, Delight Ejiaka, Benjamin Favero, Jordan Foster, Eli Jacobs, Arel Wiederholt Kassar, Veronica Klash, Clarissa Leon, Alice Letowt, Aeriel Marillat, Nicole Minton, Destiny Pinder-Buckley, Avery Portis, Sara Tausendfreund, Layhannara Tep, Tonya Todd, Rachel Walker, Kailee Wingo

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Trans Visibility

We support, uplift and publish Trans voices. In today’s U.S. climate of anti-trans rhetoric and policy, and the killing of trans bodies and minds, it is imperative that as a literary magazine, we commit to publishing a global range of trans writers, with no attempt at policing what trans looks and sounds like. We respect people on the trans spectrum and seek to be a safe place for trans thinkers and trans stories.

Consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center
The Okra Project
Emergency Release
Marshap


Black Lives Matter

We stand together with the Black community and commit to double down on anti-racist efforts. We continue our mission to amplify extraordinary voices, feature writers from every part of the globe and add to the conversations surrounding oppression, prejudice, fear, and raw honesty. 

As ever, as always, and forever, Black lives matter.  

We remember: Ahmaud Arbery, Sandra Bland, George Floyd, Atatiana Jefferson, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor  

We remember the victims in Las Vegas: Tashii Brown, Keith Childress, Trevon Cole, Sharmel Edwards, Stanley Gibson, Junior Lopez, Roy Anthony Scott, Bryon Lee Williams, Rex Wilson 

We hold space for the numerous other Black people whose names did not enter the public record, or whose lives have been lost to the archive.  


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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  • Specific back issues: $10
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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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