Black & Rouge takes its name from the colors of Baton Rouge Community College and the vibrant city our college calls home. Since its founding in 2008, the journal has been faculty-edited and supported by BRCC’s Division of Liberal Arts. Originally created as a platform for the creative work of BRCC’s students, faculty, and staff, Black & Rouge now seeks to amplify voices from across the entire Baton Rouge community.

We publish poetry, short fiction, nonfiction essays, and visual art that showcase originality and a diversity of styles and expressions. Black & Rouge is dedicated to highlighting the bold voices and authentic perspectives at the heart of Baton Rouge and Baton Rouge Community College.

2024cover

Submissions are now open for Black & Rouge 2025, Vol. 6!

Vol. 6 Theme: "Mind made Matter"

In our next volume, we are seeking submissions that illustrate the interplay between the abstract world of the mind and the literal world through which we experience life.

  • How does the mind influence your perception of the physical world—your body, your physical spaces, your behaviors, your lived experiences?
  • How does the physical world influence your mindset and shape your understanding of the world?

Our goal is to collect perspectives on how and why the "mind matters" as well as how beliefs, values, and inner conflicts are "made matter—made real—in literal or physical ways." Through this lens, we will share perspectives on mental health, celebrate the knowledge we’ve gained through lived experience, and emphasize the power of creative expression.

Submission Prompts and Ideas

Create a poem, story, essay, artwork, or photograph that illustrates any of the following:

  • Illustrate the inner landscape of the mind. What is it like inside that realm—is it a landscape, a room, a house?
  • Showcase how the mind’s inner environment shapes one's external environment.
  • Explore how beliefs and mental health affect the physical body and shape one's worldview.
  • Relate experiences or people that have influenced your mental health or led to new understandings.
  • Express turning-point moments or experiences of personal freedom and self-discovery.
Submission Guidelines
  • Poetry: Submit up to 3 poems as either a Word DOC or PDF file.
  • Non-fiction and Fiction: Submit up to 3 works, each no longer than 15 pages, as a Word DOC or PDF file.
  • Visual Art: Submit up to 3 works in JPEG format (painting, drawing, collage, etc.).
  • Submissions are open to current and former students, including dual-enrolled students, faculty, and staff.
  • AI-assisted submissions are not guaranteed acceptance. Any use of AI must be disclosed and described upon submission.
Click here to submit your work for consideration.

For questions, please email Prof. Carrie Causey at causeyc@mybrcc.edu.

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