OUR VALUES:
We at Nighthawk Literature are committed to honoring the diversity in the literary community. We value visibility, representation, and elevating the voices of those who have been under-appreciated and dismissed. To that end, our journal, and its editors, do not discriminate on the bases of race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, ability, religion, class, heritage, nationality, or any other reason. The only thing we judge is the quality and originality of your art, and if we find it harmful or discriminatory, we will immediately reject it.
We use this space now to promise to remove the work of any writers or artists published in Nighthawk Literature if we come to learn of their sexual misconduct, harassment, discrimination, or any other form of bigotry.
Our journal is curated by and for queer, genderqueer, and people of color, and we want to call your attention to the systematic racism, sexism, and discrimination displayed in the publishing industry. For too long, the cis-white-male voice has been prioritized as the voice of the literary world, and we are dedicated to confronting and changing that every day. Creating this journal and laying down these values is the first step.
It is essential to recognize the dismissal and silencing of historically marginalized voices in the arts and in literature. It is those voices that have challenged the barriers of language, that have led the evolution of literary styles, and whose contributions to poetry, storytelling, and art have marked and transformed the literary world. Nighthawk Literature is proud to be among the publishers that are striving to create a space where equity of opportunity is cherished above all else, where discrimination is not tolerated, and where the true diversity of the literary landscape can become visible.
We know that writing this mission statement does not solve the injustice in the literary world, but we hope that it is a step towards the safe and prejudice-free space we and many marginalized artists have long dreamt of and fought for. We know there is more work for us to do and we hope to continue to learn throughout this journey. We will always rely on the help of our readers to make this community even safer. We urge you to call us out on our mistakes and hold us accountable if we dismiss or contradict the values we lay here now. Our values will continue to evolve, and we will continue to work towards a place of inclusivity, affirmation, and safety.
We thank you for taking the time to read our values. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our editors if you have any questions or concerns. Visit our Masthead for contact details.
Good luck with your writing and artistic endeavors! We are cheering you on, and hope that you’re encouraged to submit your work to our magazine!
With love and kindness,
Nighthawk Literature