Bloomfield College students launch social justice litmag

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield College creative writing and poetry students and alumni have come together to launch “I Can’t Breathe” magazine, an independent social justice literary magazine with all publishing proceeds benefiting social justice nonprofit organizations.

A virtual launch party took place Aug. 23 with members of the editorial board and contributing authors, artists and musicians providing readings, artwork and performances. The magazine, which went live the same day on Amazon, is available for digital and paperback purchase. 

Bloomfield College President Marcheta Evans provided a special keynote message during the virtual launch party, acknowledging the passionate work of everyone involved in creating the various works that hold “such deep meaning and motivate so many.”

“As the only higher education institution in New Jersey designated as both a predominantly black institution and a Hispanic-serving institution, Bloomfield College will continue to be at the forefront of these conversations,” Evans said. “Thank you to the entire editorial board for your leadership, and for your advocacy and commitment. Your writing and artwork moved me between tears and laughter, and I stand with you as together we use our collective voices to not allow this salient activism to die down.”

Professor Paul Latorre, who has taught Bloomfield College’s literary magazine creative writing course since 2016, explained that “I Can’t Breathe” is an offshoot of “BC Underground” magazine, a compendium of Bloomfield College student capstone works published at the end of every spring semester. “BC Underground” also accepts submissions from throughout the college and they are voted on for inclusion by the student-run editorial board.

“This year, we additionally launched ‘Quaranzine’ magazine in June in a digital and print format, with profits going to pandemic relief charities. The submissions, which captured the difficulties of adjusting to the new norms associated with the pandemic, began to include topics related to the social justice issues that were arising throughout the country,” Latorre said. “This is when it was decided that this needed to become its own magazine, and ‘I Can’t Breathe’ was born.”

According to Latorre, the new ‘I Can’t Breathe’ editorial board and friends will continue to publish a new issue every summer.

  Bloomfield College