The theme for the Spring 2026 issue of Oregon Humanities magazine is “Labor.” We’re looking for stories about work, effort, and toil.
In this issue, we hope to address work of all kinds: physical, mental, and emotional, done for money, for pleasure, or for the benefit of our families and communities. We’re interested in labor as a collective effort, as in the labor force or the labor movement, as well as individual exertions.
Writers for this issue might investigate the history of collective organizing or working conditions in Oregon or explore how the ways we work are changing in response to cultural and environmental phenomena such as climate change, generational shifts, artificial intelligence, and TikTok. Give us an insider’s perspective on jobs that are essential to our way of life but aren’t often celebrated. Help us find meaning in everyday tasks or understand monumental efforts.
We welcome all forms of nonfiction writing from Oregon residents, including essays, journalism, criticism, and excerpts from forthcoming or recently published books. Successful submissions will reflect our vision of an Oregon that invites diverse perspectives, invites challenging questions, and strives for just communities. We encourage submissions from writers of all levels of experience.
We encourage stories created with or by communities—classrooms, neighborhoods, congregations, or any other group with shared interests and experiences. Some examples follow:
- “Borrowed Kitchens and Conference Rooms,” an exploration of the shortage of community spaces in East Portland
- “We Contain Multitudes,” a story about the experiences of international and BIPOC adoptees, featuring many voices
- “The Power of Community Spaces,” a profile of what one space means for a small Oregon community
- “My Heart Belongs Where the Trees Are,” a story about Black communities in Eastern Oregon
- “What They Carried,” stories of refugees told through objects
Please send drafts of personal essays, which should push beyond simple narrative and consider larger thematic questions. If you’re pitching a journalistic or researched piece, please send a proposal and links to any prior published work, and tell us why you’re the person to write this story.
Features generally range between 1,500 and 4,000 words. All contributors are paid between $750 and $1,500, depending on the length and complexity of the piece.
Currently the magazine is distributed free to 14,000 readers. Work from Oregon Humanities has been reprinted in textbooks, the Pushcart Prize anthology, Utne Reader, High Country News, and Best American Essays, and featured on public radio programs Think Out Loud, State of Wonder, and This American Life.
Please note that we do not accept submissions of poetry or work generated by AI, and we generally only publish pieces by current residents of Oregon.
If you are interested in contributing to this issue, please read past issues and the guidelines for writers. Then, submit one proposal or one draft by December 15 to editors@oregonhumanities.org. Please include your full name and place of residence in your email.
Future magazine themes
- Summer 2026 (August): Revolution
- Winter 2027 (December): Passage