SPECIAL SECTION THEME ANNOUNCEMENT
Toyon Multilingual Literary Magazine
Volume 72 - Coming April 2026
Submission deadline: Sept 30, 2025
Volume 72 - Coming April 2026
Submission deadline: Sept 30, 2025
SUMUD (صمود )
Volume 72 - Special Theme
Sumūd (صمود) / noun / suh-mood
verbal noun of "samada" (صمد) meaning "steadfastness," "perseverance," or "persistence in the face of adversity." Sumūd refers to a constellation of Palestinian social practices, both individual and collective, that emphasize Indigenous, life-affirming, and everyday acts of resistance and survival in a settler-constructed world that seeks their demise.
Toyon is seeking submissions for a forthcoming collection of writing and art on the theme of sumūd. While centering Palestine and Palestinian voices, this year’s theme invites all poets, writers, artists, and dissidents to share their stories of steadfastness and everyday resistance against the many arms of global empire and to envision the possibilities for a liberated future through political art-making. Toyon is especially honored to welcome Jamilla Hashem and Dr. Abdulaziz Akila as special guest editors for Issue 72.
Please send us your submissions by September 30th, 2025! Submit via Digital Commons or by email at [email protected]. $100 awards in Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Environmental Justice, Humor & Satire, Visual Art & Multilingual Writing.
Here are some topics/prompts inside the theme to offer some inspiration:
Consider the following genres to inspire subversive submissions:
Volume 72 - Special Theme
Sumūd (صمود) / noun / suh-mood
verbal noun of "samada" (صمد) meaning "steadfastness," "perseverance," or "persistence in the face of adversity." Sumūd refers to a constellation of Palestinian social practices, both individual and collective, that emphasize Indigenous, life-affirming, and everyday acts of resistance and survival in a settler-constructed world that seeks their demise.
Toyon is seeking submissions for a forthcoming collection of writing and art on the theme of sumūd. While centering Palestine and Palestinian voices, this year’s theme invites all poets, writers, artists, and dissidents to share their stories of steadfastness and everyday resistance against the many arms of global empire and to envision the possibilities for a liberated future through political art-making. Toyon is especially honored to welcome Jamilla Hashem and Dr. Abdulaziz Akila as special guest editors for Issue 72.
Please send us your submissions by September 30th, 2025! Submit via Digital Commons or by email at [email protected]. $100 awards in Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Environmental Justice, Humor & Satire, Visual Art & Multilingual Writing.
Here are some topics/prompts inside the theme to offer some inspiration:
- What does everyday resistance look like to you?
- How do you stand firm against the forces that seek to destroy you?
- How do you embody politics that resist dominant narratives?
- How do you persevere through life when faced with daily systemic adversity?
- How has chronic adversity affected you? How do you take care of yourself during times of fatigue?
Consider the following genres to inspire subversive submissions:
- Letters
- Protest Poetry
- Posters, Collage, and Street Art
- Translation/Multilingual Writing
- Indigenous/liberatory futurism
- Travel writing
- Audio recordings
- Prayer, chant, song
- Embroidery/political fashion
- Journal/personal writing
- Satirical art and writing
- Photography/photojournalism
- Painting/artwork
- Essay, polemic, manifesto
