Dear Artists,
We are currently seeking contributions to the emerging These are the bodies that have not borne. a whisper. a seed. an archive. ‘zine. The ‘zine centers the experiences of those of us who have not birthed a child through our bodies. Based on a vision I (Maria) had for collective ritual, this ‘zine comes to life through archives of the performance-ritual, through recipes, collages, essays and more from us–from you. These are the bodies that have not borne. a whisper. a seed. an archive. is organized and published by MBDance and midwifed by Ashanee Kottage of Kavaya Press.
SCOPE & GOALS
It is meant to be a whisper of encouragement and solidarity to Black and Brown folks, especially those of us who are queer, trans and/or gender-non-conforming. It is a seed of healing for our bodies and this planet. It is also a manifesto, a reclaiming of space and a reminder to ourselves and each other in the pastpresentfuture, that we are here.
Maria Bauman and Audrey Hailes are seeking visual art and text exploring themes including:
- re-imagining, queer and trans family building
- the interrelated well-being of our bodies and Earth
- womb sovereignty
- abortions, “miscarriages,” ectopic pregnancies and other endings
- spells and prayers for babies to come
- fibroids, endometriosis, and other racially disproportionate uterine experiences and challenges
- recipes for healing
This thematic list is not comprehensive as we couldn’t possibly cover the breadth of our lived experiences, but it aims to be an opening for our distinctive resonances to ring out. We welcome visions, challenges, ambivalence, confusion, clarity, fury, pain, joy, triumph, and possibility. Together, we are mapping, recording, and amplifying our Black and Brown voices as we contend both with family-building and with choosing not to procreate at this moment in our collective history.
It is our intention and prayer that this ‘zine finds its way to all of us who need it. As these issues do not often benefit from public discourse, we affirm the power of our underground channels, coded strategies, whispered insights, and handwritten recipes. Like a knowing nod between strangers or friends, this ‘zine aims to carve a pathway for abundant solidarity and gather those of us questioning, celebrating, experimenting, or suffering in isolation. We invite:
- Poems
- Collages
- Herbal recipes and remedies related to uterine function
- Coloring pages
- Prints and paintings
- Short essays
- More that perhaps we haven’t imagined yet!
- COMPENSATION
The ‘zine may make a profit, but it also may not. We encourage you to share only what you feel comfortable offering without the guarantee of profit. This project is a labor of love—a space to witness and be witnessed, and to process wisdom. If this calls to you, we would love to include your contribution.
Once we cover the publishing and design costs, we are employing a cooperative compensatory structure: profit gathered from sales of the ‘zine will be split equitably among contributors according to the number of contributions made. This includes Audrey and I. We are not paying ourselves extra, nor in advance, for organizing this ‘zine and we are not counting compensation for our own contributions to the ‘zine as part of the initial expenses. We will be paid for our contributions if/when all contributors are paid. All design, publishing, and printing costs are paid in advance by MBDance. We don’t have grant support for this ‘zine.
For example, if we include 20 submissions and were to make a net profit (money left after expenses are paid) of $100, each individual contribution would receive $5. Please note that this project is not necessarily a money-making opportunity.
TIMELINE & SUBMISSION PROTOCOLS
Contributions are due June 1. Please send submissions to maria@mbdance.net and audrey@mbdance.net by Sunday, June 1st, 2025 with subject line: ‘Zine Contribution – [FirstName LastName].
This ‘zine will premiere alongside the These are the bodies that have not borne. performance ritual, enacted by MBDance: Graciella Ye’Tsunami, angel edwards, AJ Wilmore, Myssi Robison, Rochelle Wilbun, audrey hailes, and Maria Bauman, on August 23rd and 24th at Snug Harbor Cultural Center on Aquehonga Monocknong, so-called Staten Island. We hope you can join us there!
STYLE GUIDELINES
– Document Format: Submissions should both a raw file (Word, Doc, jpeg) and PDF
– Font Style: If you would like to keep a particular font in your text, please indicate that. Otherwise, please use basic fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, or similar. Avoid overly decorative fonts.
– Font Size: Body text – 10-12 point font size; Headings – 12-16 point font size
– Margins: 0.5-inch margins on all sides. Avoid placing text within the margins, as this area may be trimmed during printing.
– Line Spacing: 1.15 or 1.5 for body text.
– Page Size: 8.5 x 5.5 inches (half the size of an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper).
– If text or design elements are too close to the edges, there’s a chance they could be cut off or lost during the trimming process.
– Image Size: Where possible, please use high resolution images (300 dpi) Avoid stretching or distorting images unless that is your desired effect.
– File Naming: (ZineContribution_FirstNameLastName)
We look forward to including your voice in this archive and welcome any questions you may have to aid your inclusion in These are the bodies that have not borne. a whisper. a seed. an archive.