Hello Everyone:

This is Tariq MaQbool, an incarcerated writer/journalist and the creator of CAPTIVEVOICES.COM.

Welcome to our family!

I created this forum to provide an avenue for the incarcerated men/women to speak our truth, to tell our stories, and to define our own narratives. I truly believe that without our voices and that of our loved ones, we will continue to be marginalized and our plight will remain without redress. In sum, to make real, structural changes to the broken American Judicial/Prison system, we must speak up!

So, come join us, and add your voice to our Captive Voices!

For submissions, please read the following information to ensure your writing aligns with Captive Voice’s mission statement.

At this time, we are seeking….

• Personal and Reported Essays between 600-800 words
• Poems (1 per submission): Preferably Narrative style, Haiku’s, Free Rhyme, Sonnet form, and the like are all welcome.
  • NOTE: Kindly send a paragraph or two long explanation of what your poem is about & what are you trying to convey thru your poetry;
• Artwork (2-3 per submission): We are specifically interested in Abstract Art, Pencil or Charcoal Sketches, and Watercolor & Paintings. We welcome Digital Art, as well.
  • NOTE: Kindly send a paragraph or two long explanation of what your Artwork is about & what you are trying to convey thru your submission.
• Videos: We are accepting 30 seconds video clips (1 per submission, unless its a performance art piece) for our Prison Culture series. Please try to send a message (personal or general) rather than something random.
• Photographs: Open submission call for pics (no limit) – Please note that we are seeking pics for our Prison Culture series. You & your loved ones can submit pics related to experiences with incarceration, inside or out!
  • NOTE: Kindly send a paragraph or two long explanation of what and who we are seeing in your submitted pics – We want to canvas Life Inside from the inside & outside angle to showcase faces of those who are affected by the American Justice/Prison system;
• Testimonials (1 per submission): We are seeking testimonial by the loved ones of the incarcerated who have endured hardships.

Kindly NOTE that all submissions are voluntary & can be removed per request. We also reserve the absolute right to refuse & accept any submissions.

All written/digital/recorded/audio/artwork submissions will be edited as per need by the CV volunteers. Therefore, please NOTE that by submitting your works/creations, you are providing us CONSENT to edit & publish your submissions on our website;

Please do NOT submit any writings/poetry/creations/artwork etc that is related to, affiliated to, or is symbolic of any gangs or outlawed groups.

Send submissions to submissions@captivevoices.com with the subject line: “Submission_Type,” for example: “Submission Personal Essay”