We are an online publication at UCSB serving as a platform for underrepresented minorities to share their experiences and art with. Our content ranges from articles to poetry to photography and any other type of creative outlet. Members from the LGBTQ+ community, people of color, queer people of color, disabled folks, non-binary folks, genderqueer folks, etc. will be prioritized in the publication process.
Um...Magazine is an intersectional online and in-print platform for marginalized voices to express themselves through art. We publish people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, womxn, disabled folks, etc.
“Um…” represents marginalized folks’ instincts to conform and censor their speech to fit into social stereotypes. We want this publication to fight against that internalized self-doubt and provide a safe platform for people to creatively express themselves.
Anyone who doesn’t identify as a straight, white, cisgendered, able-bodied man can submit.
Even though we are based in UCSB, you do not need to attend a higher education institution or be based in Santa Barbara to submit; we encourage everyone to submit their work.
Straight, white, cisgendered, able-bodied men have dominated our media, workforce, institutions, textbooks, literature, film, music, and every other aspect of society for centuries. These men are already represented in every facet of society and push everybody else to the fringe, so what this platform aims to do is broadcast the voices excluded from the mainstream narrative.
So no, this publication does not marginalize these men, in the same way that reverse racism doesn’t exist. There is an institutional imbalance in representation in the media, and we are simply trying to rectify that by providing an intersectional space for previously excluded, creative voices to thrive.
If you don’t qualify to submit, we still encourage allies to attend our events, check out our content, and spread the word.
Email your work to ummagazine.ucsb@gmail.com with include your title piece and an artist bio outlining your pronouns and identity (optional)
Ex: Attached is my painting, titled “Erasure”; my pronouns are she/her/hers; and I identify as a Korean-American woman.
We want our readers to acknowledge the voices of the artists and recognize who they are. Identifying labels can open up discussions about privilege and power and further highlight the need for intersectionality. By lumping all marginalized artists as simply “marginalized”, we brush over the diverse inequalities each artist faces and perpetuate institutional ignorance.
However, we understand that identifying labels may be limiting, inaccurate, or not necessary for some, so including your identity is fully optional and up to you. We will still publish your work even if you choose to exclude your identity and pronouns. You also have the option to submit anonymously; simply specify your request in your email.
We ask that if you do not qualify for this publication (i.e. if you are a cishet, white, able-bodied, straight man), please do not take advantage of anonymity if you do not qualify to submit and respect the space of this publication. We encourage allies to support this intersectional community by reading and sharing our work.
No; instead, we work to include everyone’s submissions in each issue!
Work of any creative medium: art, writing, film, poetry, short story, spoken word, painting, etc.
Must be Original Content: Has not been published by other magazines/publications.
We hold general meetings every other week and anyone is welcome to come!
If you’re interested in submitting content, refer to our previous FAQ’s or go to our Submission Guidelines