Ebony Tomatoes Collective is a literary and arts magazine that publishes what’s personal from a Black, intersectional perspective.
What We Do
Ebony Tomatoes Collective is a bold, tri-annual literary and arts magazine amplifying Black writers with intersectional identities. Through both a free online platform such as our website, TikTok, and Instagram and our printed editions, we explore the lived experiences of Black writers in relation to culture, politics, nature, and personal identity. With a commitment to radically honest and diverse storytelling, Ebony Tomatoes serves readers of all backgrounds, offering a space for underrepresented voices often overlooked by traditional publishers.
Operating under the leadership of nine to twelve Black team members from marginalized genders, our international collective spans from New York to Grenada to Sudan. We’ve published over twenty issues, been featured at invigorating events like the New York Queer Zine Fair and the Bluestockings Cooperative Zine Fair, and fostered a vibrant community through in-person and virtual events—ranging from writer’s picnics to advance film screenings to open mics.
We don’t just create a publication; we build relationships both online and offline, supporting emerging creatives and fostering connections across genres, identities, and experiences.
Our Origin Story
Ava Emilione conceptualized Ebony Tomatoes Collective in 2022 as an undergraduate at NYU Tisch. While they were isolated with COVID-19 in their 9×6 foot East Village bedroom, they reflected on the lack of diversity and representation in their writing classes. Coming from a long history of Black storytellers, Ava hungered for a strong community of other Black, queer, and gender-expansive creators.
Their feelings of creative and personal isolation led them to begin a writer’s group for Black women in the Spring of 2022, where they met other Black creatives with similar frustrations, values, and goals. A small, dedicated group got together, developed Ebony Tomatoes Collective by the summer, and hasn’t stopped since.
20+ Issues Published
Featured at zine fairs across NYC and New Jersey
80+ emerging and established Black writers and artists published
100% Black team
Our Purpose
Ebony Tomatoes’ impact lies in our practice. We have published over 80 Black writers and artists about today’s most pressing matters: Palestinian liberation, the modern lesbian and transgender experience, and mental health amongst women of color, just to name a few. Editors collaborate closely with writers to develop each piece for publication, which has created lasting relationships with contributors.
As of 2024, nearly 73% of publishing staff and nearly 78% of publishing executives are White. Only 5% of publishing staff is Black. Efforts towards diversity and inclusion are either slow-moving or shut down as emerging Black storytellers struggle to find a place to share their work without being rejected, belittled, or censored.
Instead of waiting for the publishing world to change, we decided to take matters into our own hands and serve our community—readers of all races, backgrounds, and sexualities who are looking for radically honest and diverse storytelling. Publishing is not dead—it is undergoing a long overdue transformation. Ebony Tomatoes is a new, inevitable generation of the writer’s world; one that centers diverse voices, serves local communities, and tells stories that are as socially relevant as they are personal.