Ebony Tomatoes Collective is a literary and arts magazine for personal and political liberation—by a Black, intersectional collective.
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Fresh new pieces, hand-picked by our editors
Love Thy Neighbor, Honor Thy Land: A portrait of community leadership in the Southwest
Following the path of The Three Sisters, the Taos Land Trust demonstrates how three neighbors—people, land, and advocacy—can unite to build an intentional, space-based community. Land trusts, which build relationships while conserving land, offer an alternative to America’s broken food and social justice system.
by Ava Pauline Emilione
Ava Pauline Emilione (they/them) is a nomadic, Brooklyn-born writer, editor, and farmhand. Inspired by the natural world and their family’s oral storytelling tradition, their writing weaves modern folklore about the people, phenomena, and communities—both human and non-human—that define their experiences in an increasingly strange world. They are an Editorial Assistant for a Washington Post columnist and have edited articles for The Washington Post and Ebony Tomatoes’ printed and digital collections. They can be reached at [email protected].
Disruption on the Dancefloor: A Conversation with Black Queer DJs
As clubbing reimagines queer gatherings and serves as a powerful tool for collective action, it felt imperative to sit with Black queer DJs in New York City to probe the state of this cultural reformation.
by Binny Onabolu
Binny Onabolu (she/they) is a Nigerian immigrant who grew up partly in Houston, partly in Minnesota and is now doing a lot of growing and glowing in New York. Her favorite author is no other than Audre Lorde, her favorite essay by her being “the use of the erotic.” They love to do anything that involves their hands, ranging from giving themself a head massage to lifting weights to cooking for themself and loved ones. Catch her outside—literally because they love nature hikes and the sun—taking it one day at a time. They can be reached at [email protected].
In Loving Color: How it Feels to Love a Black Dyke
The idea of falling in love with another Black lesbian was sacred to me. It meant locking into love without compromising my identity or over-explaining my existence, defying the media’s heteronormative portrayal of “Black love.”
By Cheyenne Edwards
Cheyenne Edwards (they/she) is a screenwriter & narrative storyteller. Cheyenne’s artistry builds on the undisputed principle that representation matters, but dares to take things a step further by putting their Black and queer—often lesbian-identified—characters in audacious situations bolstered by the sharp, ironic humor of their generation. Her chosen mediums include screenplays, film, essays, and video essays. She can be reached on Instagram/Twitter @afroauteur or via email at [email protected].
featured articles
Fresh new pieces, hand-picked by our editors
Love Thy Neighbor, Honor Thy Land: A portrait of community leadership in the Southwest
Following the path of The Three Sisters, the Taos Land Trust demonstrates how three neighbors—people, land, and advocacy—can unite to build an intentional, space-based community. Land trusts, which build relationships while conserving land, offer an alternative to America’s broken food and social justice system.
by Ava Pauline Emilione
Ava Pauline Emilione (they/them) is a nomadic, Brooklyn-born writer, editor, and farmhand. Inspired by the natural world and their family’s oral storytelling tradition, their writing weaves modern folklore about the people, phenomena, and communities—both human and non-human—that define their experiences in an increasingly strange world. They are an Editorial Assistant for a Washington Post columnist and have edited articles for The Washington Post and Ebony Tomatoes’ printed and digital collections. They can be reached at [email protected].
Disruption on the Dancefloor: A Conversation with Black Queer DJs
As clubbing reimagines queer gatherings and serves as a powerful tool for collective action, it felt imperative to sit with Black queer DJs in New York City to probe the state of this cultural reformation.
by Binny Onabolu
Binny Onabolu (she/they) is a Nigerian immigrant who grew up partly in Houston, partly in Minnesota and is now doing a lot of growing and glowing in New York. Her favorite author is no other than Audre Lorde, her favorite essay by her being “the use of the erotic.” They love to do anything that involves their hands, ranging from giving themself a head massage to lifting weights to cooking for themself and loved ones. Catch her outside—literally because they love nature hikes and the sun—taking it one day at a time. They can be reached at [email protected].
In Loving Color: How it Feels to Love a Black Dyke
The idea of falling in love with another Black lesbian was sacred to me. It meant locking into love without compromising my identity or over-explaining my existence, defying the media’s heteronormative portrayal of “Black love.”
By Cheyenne Edwards
Cheyenne Edwards (they/she) is a screenwriter & narrative storyteller. Cheyenne’s artistry builds on the undisputed principle that representation matters, but dares to take things a step further by putting their Black and queer—often lesbian-identified—characters in audacious situations bolstered by the sharp, ironic humor of their generation. Her chosen mediums include screenplays, film, essays, and video essays. She can be reached on Instagram/Twitter @afroauteur or via email at [email protected].
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Against the Tide
Against the Tide: Community Care in the Collapse of Empire is a testament to the power of grassroots organizing and resistance. Featuring essays and interviews with U.S.-based activists in the wake of the 2024 election, Against the Tide is a freedom cry and a call to action. Our editors went to The Free Black Women’s Library in Bed-Stuy, to enviornmental land trusts in New Mexico, to raves led by Black queer DJs, to non-profits in Texas, and beyond to connect with community leaders building a liberated future. Our 23rd issue reveals that oppression is not the end of our stories. With imagination and action, it is only the beginning.
Beyond the Margin
This issue was created by an editorial team of Black lesbians with the intention to explore the expansiveness of our identities and pay homage to our ancestors. In a culture that is obsessed with placing Black people into limiting roles and stereotypes, Black queerness—more specifically Black lesbianism—is vastly underrepresented and misunderstood. It is our right to tell our stories, so if mainstream media and literature won’t represent us with respect and candor, we will create the space to do so ourselves. The issue you hold in your hands is one such space.
The Liberation Zine
As a grassroots literary and arts magazine by and for black creatives, this issue is a part of our effort to express solidarity with our comrades who are fighting to tell stories of our culture, suffering, and resistance. The magazine you are holding features work from black palestinian, sudanese, and american writers. these stories are as vulnerable as they are striking—revealing a rich black diaspora who has sustained hope, despite unspeakable suffering, for a liberated and just world.
The Village
The stories across the Black diaspora
The Self
The stories from within
The Lovers
The stories for those we love
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