Lavender Workshop and Other Updates!

Hey Lavender fam! Editor-in-Chief Jada here, and I wanted to update you on some things going on in the world of The Lavender <3

How to run a Chaotic Indie Publication - A Workshop Collab with the IMC Zine Library

Join me and The Lavender team on April 25th, 2026 for our upcoming workshop on running an indie publication! We'll go through the history of The Lavender, talk through how to turn your ideas into a tangible thing, and how not to burnout while doing it. The event is free, but RSVPs are encouraged so we know how many of you lovely folks are joining us. Event is mask-required, and masks will be provided for folks who need them, so join us! See you in a few weeks!

We're Looking for Writing Submissions!

 While I know y'all love hearing from me every week(ish), we want to hear from you! If you're interested in writing for us, send us an email introducing yourself at thelavendernewsletter@gmail.com. In the email, make sure to introduce yourself, let us know what you want to write about, and share any writing you've done in the past so we get an idea of your current skill level (prior publication experience not required). If you have specific article you wanna write, feel free to pitch it, but also we're looking in general for writers to reach out to for stories.

Topics to Write On

Writing on Women's Sports & Queer Athletics

• We already know that everyone watches women's sports, but we want to know who here writes about women's sports. The Lavender is looking for writer with interest/expertise in women's sports and the world of queer athlete's. We're interested in writing on UIUC's women's teams, girls' sports at the local high schools, and interviews with local queer athletes (professional and amateur). These could be game recaps, essays on our local women's and queer athletics scene, and interviews with queer athletes. we also are interested in essays and explainers on national women's sports and what's happening in     that world If our community shows interest, this  could also grow into a regular column, so if this is your cup of tea reach out!

Writing on Queer music in Central Illinois

• We would love submissions on our local (or local-ish) queer musicians. This could be concert reviews, interviews with artists, or essays on the scene as a whole. If you're interested in writing on artists outside of Central IL that will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, however we are not taking writing on anyone based in a major city. We're looking to share stories from smaller communities like CU that don't get as much love! If our community shows interest, this could grow into being a regular column as well.

Writing on Queer Theatre in Central IL

• There is a lot of great queer theatre going on in Central IL, and we would love to highlight the awesome shows playing throughout the year! We are interested in show reviews, interviews with queer playwrights and directors, and listicles of upcoming queer theatre projects coming out. Listicles can include shows coming to nearby major cities, however anything else should center on folks in Central IL. 
  

Specific Articles We're Looking For

• Essays from trans athletes on the IOC's recent decision barring trans woman athletes from women's sports. 
  • Also welcome: Essays from cis queer Black women athletes on the affects of anti-transgender policies in sports negative affect Black women athletes
• Seeking up to 3 essays on what people want from a new queer space in CU
  • This doesn't have to specifically be centered on queer bars, but as Anthem has closed and Amy's Place seems to be opening at some point in the near future, we want to invite queer folks to talk about what we want to see in these spaces! We especially (but not exclusively) want to hear from folks who aren't often catered to in queer spaces. Some examples of this are queer people of color, disabled queer folks, trans and gender-expansive queer folks, and anyone else who has felt they don't always fit in these environments that claim to be for them. We want to give space to talk about improving our queer spaces so that everyone can enjoy themselves when entering whatever new queer venture comes next. 

Reach out if you wanna write for us, and we look forward to seeing y'all at our upcoming workshop! Until then, have a good week folks <3