Submit Meditations

For a new anthology edited by Rev. Mykal Slack and Takiyah Nur Amin, Ph.D.

Skinner House Books, the imprint of the Unitarian Universalist Association, invites Unitarian Universalists to submit original poems, prayers, or short prose pieces for possible inclusion to be published in Spring 2021. This will be an anthology of pieces by Black Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist writers, musicians, worship leaders, and liturgists, published in partnership with Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU.)

The Theme

Since the inception of BLUU in 2015, we’ve been committed to fostering justice-making and liberation through our faith and expanding the power and capacity of Black UUs. Central to those commitments has been our work in striving to meet the unmet and ongoing spiritual and pastoral needs of Black UUs. Many of us are looking for publications and other resources to inform and deepen our faith practice that are culturally relevant and reflective of our lived experience.

On behalf of BLUU, we are partnering with Skinner House Books to publish a one-of-a-kind, faith resource. The BLUU anthology will be a resource for personal study, private meditation/devotion and worship that amplifies the articulation of a Black UU perspective and worldview. While we know others will benefit deeply and richly from the liberatory faith perspective in the words, rituals, and music found here, our goal is to center Black voices and experiences in the volume.

As editors of this volume, we are looking for poems, short prose meditations, prayers, music, songs, chants, rituals, and liturgies that articulate a Black UU worldview.

Prose meditations should be between 200 and 430 words. Poems should be no longer than 48 lines.

In your cover letter, please identify your affiliation with Unitarian Universalism. If your work has been published, please give details.

Send your submission to submissions@blacklivesuu.com.

Please send in your submission no later than October 1, 2020, and be sure to include contact information. Please type BLUU Meditation Manual in the subject line. If your work is accepted, you will be notified after October 15, 2020. Please address any questions to Mary Benard, Editorial Director, Skinner House Books, at mbenard@uua.org.