Writing for Change Essay Contest

The Black Allyship @ Mochi (BA@M) column is an ongoing project that urges an awareness of racial injustice in the United States, particularly the oppression of Black people in America. The articles, resources and opinions we share are a call to action, an open discussion, and a place to take a stance against anti-Black racism.

“You cannot change any society unless you take responsibility for it, unless you see yourself as belonging to it and responsible for changing it.”

Grace Lee Boggs

In memory of Grace Lee Boggs’ work with Black communities, we are seeking essays from BIPOC writers that answer the question: 

In consideration of complex histories and current movements, what can Asian Americans do to be better allies and co-conspirators in the fight for racial justice? 

The kinds of writing we want to see are previously unpublished pieces that blend personal experience with data or interviews from changemakers in a way that educates an Asian American audience of all ages. For example, 

• Fight Anti-Blackness with our Asian Parents – Mochi Magazine 
• Mom and Dad, This is What I Want to Tell You About the Riots – Mochi Magazine
• We Cannot Trust White Society With Asian Justice – Mochi Magazine 
• I want justice for anti-Asian violence — but not at the expense of Black people
• Miseducated: Encounters with Blackness and Whiteness

All submissions will be reviewed by current BA@M co-editors along the following criteria:

• Engagement with the prompt in an actionable way for Mochi’s audience
• Exploration of a topic or perspective not yet present in the BA@M column
• Originality of ideas or a unique perspective

The grand prize is $500 and publication in Mochi Magazine’s BA@M column. Finalists will also be notified and awarded $100 and publication. Writers will work with our editors to ready their pieces for publication according to Mochi Magazine’s publishing calendar. Note that current Mochi staff members are not eligible to participate in this contest. 

Feel free to email TriaWen@MochiMag.com with questions or comments. Submit your piece to BlackAllyship@MochiMag.com with the subject “Writing for Change Essay Submission” by April 30, 2022.