I’m thinking a lot about independent voices these days. Fiction, poetry, and essays have the power to tell truths. The pressure is on to RightSpeak, whether it is restricting news outlets for not using his new name for the Gulf of Mexico or dismantling civil rights and erasing references to women, LGBTQ+ people, people of color, or immigrants.

We are too small to make a dent in this suppression of voices, but we can keep building a community of writers and readers who want to speak freely about our lives and experiences.

• Over the next few weeks, we are publishing our Winter 2025 selections. Make sure you are on our mailing list for these new stories, poems, and essays. Our first selection will be published online this afternoon

• We are open for submissions. For our spring issue, we are looking for powerful poetry, imaginative literary fiction, and creative nonfiction. We are also still accepting submissions for “We Could Almost Touch It,” a special feature exploring women’s rights and perspectives since the 2016 election.

We could use your support. Tangled Locks Journal is a small independent publisher fueled by a volunteer team and small gifts from readers. This independence is important during these tumultuous times, it gives us editorial freedom, but it also limits our reach. If you are able, please consider supporting the journal.

Thanks again for being a part of our community.