Submissions

"Ukamaka Magazine - discussion is important."

Ukamaka is a literary magazine. We care about discussion. The kind that is uncomfortable, that challenges you, that makes you stop and stare. If your work opens something up rather than closes it down, we want to read it.

We center African and diasporic women, and remembered women more broadly. We are drawn to work that sits with memory, lineage, and the interior lives of women. We are especially drawn to work that takes on what people would rather not say. We are a bit biased toward women of African descent, but we accept work from writers of all genders.

We publish fiction, poetry, essays, book reviews, social commentaries, photography and creative nonfiction. We welcome formally adventurous work across genres, as long as it is rooted in lived or remembered experience. We are also a bit biased to women's stories, write about women.

Before submitting, read several pieces on the site. This is an edited publication, not an open platform, and familiarity with our sensibility matters.

Each month, we release a prompt. You can submit outside the prompt, but say so clearly in your email. We do not accept AI-generated work. We accept work previously shared on your personal social media, but not work published elsewhere. All rights remain yours. We do not currently offer payment. Submissions are open on a rolling basis.