About
Us
iō Literary Journal is a Latina-led publication based in Tampa, Florida that strives to showcase the spectrum of experience of all people, especially marginalized and underrepresented voices across writing and art. Since 2018, iō has featured emerging creatives who embrace experimentation and expand conventional interpretations of genre across its print volumes and online publication. Our mission is to cultivate an accessible literary space in which writers and artists of diverse perspectives engage in creative expression without bounds.
The name iō has two distinct origins. In Greek mythology, the mortal iō represents both transformation and displacement. Her physical form was first altered into a white heifer, and she later wandered the world after being exiled from Argos, her home. Her bodily and spatial banishment speaks to iō’s focus on marginalization and those considered "other" who inhabit the sociopolitical outskirts. As well, the mineral iolite has many interpretations, some of which include its ability to release creativity. Iolite’s physicality also attests to its multifaceted quality; when one turns this gemstone, it refracts colors in different directions. Its nature thereby inspired the name of our online publication, Refractions.
Our Values
We are an independent literary journal dedicated to showcasing writing and art from diverse and underrepresented creatives. iō's body of work is a reflection of our strongly-held values that are foundation to our publication and continue to drive us to do the work.
Accessibility
Writers and artists come from all paths. Our goal is to design opportunities for emerging creatives and hold space for unique experiences and educational backgrounds.
Diversity & Intersectionality
Through the expression “ni de aquí, ni de allá” (“not from here, nor there”), we empathize with stories of displacement and celebrate the value of our diverse identities.
Education
By collaborating with contributors, our aim is to develop submission literacy, foster knowledge about the publication process, and dismantle gatekeeping practices in the literary industry.
Challenging Conventions
We welcome work that challenges formal genre conventions and invites us to perceive the world through multifaceted perspectives and forms.
Meet the Founding Editors
The three women behind iō Literary Journal met as undergraduate English majors at the University of South Florida. As first-generation college students who were developing their crafts in English, they had often felt a disconnect between their lived experience as Latinas who were brought up in immigrant homes and the stories and experiences in the literature they were reading in their classes. This shared sentiment and reality pushed them to create iō Literary Journal.
