There’s no such thing as society.

CARVELL WALLACE is a writer and podcaster whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, GQ, New York Times Magazine, Esquire, and others. His memoir, Another Word For Love was a 2024 Kirkus Finalist in Nonfiction. He’s been nominated for Peabody Award in Journalism, a National Magazine Award, and he was a 2023 winner of the Mosaic Prize in Journalism. His 2018 book The Sixth Man spent 13 weeks as a New York Times bestseller and made Barack Obama’s year end list. He lives in Oakland, California. 

Do you still believe in genius?

JIHAN McDONALD (They/Them) is an Adjunct Professor, ritual facilitator, and writer from the Ohlone lands of Huichin, colonized as Oakland, CA. Jihan’s work is to inspire and motivate more humane being by humans through facilitating opportunities fo healing and evolution so people can consciouslu engage with Life for our personal and communal well-being. A proud graduate of Spelman College, Jihan holds a M.A. in Social Transformation from the Pacific School of Religion as a peacemaker fellow. When not trying to save the world, Jihan can be found dancing, cat napping, and / or traveling. They are currently working on a collection of memoir essays entitled, “Free, Black, and 21.”

RAWIYAH TARIQ is a Black, gender non-binary, fat, disabled and neurodivergent artist and kink aware professional. Their roots are in queer, poly-amorous, fat communities. Their tone is reflective of these roots and their work is informed by how these intersect with their Blackness. Magic, massage, storytelling and performance art are tools they use to liberate, heal and reclaim space for marginalized communities. They believe in cohesive and somatic healing and holding practices that align body, mind and spirit. Currently, they are living in the Bay Area while working on their book and their healing and holding practice A Sovereign Embodiment (ASE). Through ASE they provide workshops, ritual creation, divination, and compassionate heart holding.

Reality is not an option.

NAYOMI MUNAWEERA’S debut novel, ‘Island of a Thousand Mirrors,’ won the Commonwealth Book Prize for the Aisan Region and was short-listed for the DSC Prize and Man Asia Prizes. It was chosen as a Target book club. Her second novel, ‘What Lies Between Us,’ won the Sri Lankan National Book Award and was short-listed for the Northern California Book Prize. The Huffington Post raved, "Munaweera’s prose is visceral and indelible, devastatingly beautiful - reminiscent of the glorious writings of Louise Enrich, Amy Tan, and Alice Walker, who also finds ways to truth-tell through fiction.” She lives in Oakland California, and is working on her third novel.