adda Magazine’s 2022 collection Speak OUT! celebrates fiction, poetry, and nonfiction on topics related to freedom of expression such as gender, queer experience, and racial identity.

Speak OUT! is curated and edited by Brenda Lee-Browne, Beatrice Lamwaka, Rifat Munim and Peter Sipeli. The collection began with a call for submissions on the theme of freedom of expression and the sub-themes of gender, LGBTQIA+, race/ethnicity, and politics, among others. The collection is comprised of four issues, each featuring an introduction by one editor and seven to eight works of fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction.

We are so proud of the adda Magazine and Speak OUT! editorial teams for their dedication to publishing excellent work! adda is the online literary magazine of the Commonwealth Foundation and publishes creative content by writers and illustrators belonging to the Commonwealth countries.

The published Speak OUT! issues include work by some of Africa’s renowned authors including award-winning Zambian author Mubanga Kalimamukwento, South African author Christine Coates, Kenyan writer Kabubu Mutua, and Nigerian author Som Adedayor, to name a few.

See the content list for the issue below. Go here to access the four Speak OUT! issues.

Illustrated by Dipa Mahbuba

Table of Contents

Speak OUT! Issue 1

Issue 1 is curated and introduced by Peter Sipeli.

Editorial Issue 1 – Tudei Kei Na Kaukawa | Peter Sipeli

Things Must Change | Lloyd D’Aguilar

Chaos Theory & Non-Binary Worship | Nnadi Samuel

Archipelago | Andy Winter

Birds at the Border | Meera Ganapathi

Dubem | Priscilla Keshiro

Fish Nor Fowl | Christine Coates

Atiya Firewood | Lisa Latouche

Speak OUT! Issue 2

Issue 2 is curated and introduced by Beatrice Lamwaka.

Editorial Issue 2 – We Must Speak Out! | Beatrice Lamwaka

In Fetters, Silent and Lonely | Rebecca Mathai

Botched Affection | Calpernia Nicole Charles

A Matter of Time | Kabubu Mutua

Lettre A Simone | Sonya Moore

Yesterday, I Cried | Shanette Monrose

On Mimicry & Dream Dangling a Dead Bird | Sujash Purna

Fish & Merchant | Topher Allen

Speak OUT! Issue 3

Issue 3 is curated and introduced by Brenda Lee Browne.

Editorial Issue 3 – Talk As Me Like | Brenda Lee Browne

The Architecture of Disdain: When Freedom | Mary Rokonadravu

The River of Stolen Words | Ramya Jirasinghe

Hair/Her Emancipation | Nadine Tomlinson

A Doctor, A Lawyer, An Engineer Or A Shame To | Mubanga Kalimamukwento

Dis Language Ah Speak | Hannah Singh

Annabeth | Rolli

A Gathering of Butterflies | Lynette Hazel

Speak OUT! Issue 4

Issue 4 is curated and introduced by Rifat Munim.

Editorial Issue 4 – Let These Birds Fly | Rifat Munim

Publishing: A Journey of Instability | Ahmedur Chowdhury

Do You See Them? & Ansar | Lisa Suhair Majaj

The Brief Life of A Beautiful Thing | Fui Can-Tamakloe

Children of Death | Santanu Bhattacharya

I Will Always Love You Like Whitney Houston | Som Adedayor

Imbambazi & Homing Birds | Alice Wangui

Rumah Ibu & The Riot, The Bodhisattva | May Chong

We Run Free (For Ahmaud) & Camera | Tao Howard

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