Listen Journal Arc 1: On Motherhood
175 x 250 mm, 196 pages
London, UK
Annual
First published 2025
Editor-in-chief: Jodie Williams
Design: Jenny Minney
Listen Journal Arc 1 is a submissions-based magazine from Listen, an online journal, events organiser, and podcast dedicated to providing ‘a safe and welcoming space for women of colour to come together and share their unique experiences through a variety of creative mediums’. The platform was launched in 2022 by US-based British athlete Jodie Williams.
This first issue, themed ‘On Motherhood,’ plays host to a series of features, from the decision to embark—or not—on the journey of motherhood itself, to the wide range of experiences that follow.
Inside, a selection of personal essays showcase perspectives, overlooked by the narrative of the mainstream, ranging from Asma Tariq’s reflection on not wanting children and the challenges of raising a child amid today’s tech saturated world and climate crisis, to Vedanti Hindurao’s journey to uncover who her mother was before her motherhood journey began, and Tatiana Johnson Boria’s intimate account of postpartum. Interwoven throughout are poems that challenge or embellish notions around the theme, from ‘Fat Mom’ by Unathi Nopece to ‘Communal Kitchen’ by Tara Hollander, alongside more interviews, essays, and first person accounts.