Aneesa is a nomadic writer, scuba-diving professional and marketeer. She holds a BA in English Literature and has loved reading and writing for as long as she can remember.

With over a decade of experience, she specialises in blog and article writing as well as marketing for environmental and social causes. She is a professional creative writer and spoken word poet, having performed with companies such as Anthroplay Theatre and in venues across London.

She is driven by her desire to increase community and connection and help make this world a little better. Her pieces are inspired by her travels, nature and experiences of the ocean and spirituality, often exploring identity and serving as a shared pathway to healing.

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Ayling Zulema Dominguez is a poet, mixed media artist and youth arts educator rooted in a poetics of anticolonialism. Their art and writing ask who we are at our most free and what it might take to arrive there.

They were a 2023 Prufer Poetry Prize Finalist and received an Honorable Mention for the 2022 Lorca Latinx Poetry Prize. They are an active mentee in the Latinx in Publishing Writers Mentorship Program.

Select poems of theirs have been published in The Seventh Wave, No, Dear Magazine, Moko Magazine, Alegria Magazine’s Latinx Poetry Anthology, and elsewhere. Their peoples are from Mexico and Dominican Republic. Ayling is currently pursuing an MFA at ASU. Ultimately, they believe in poetry as a tool for liberation.

Benedetta is a freelance writer, digital storyteller and professional tummy-acher. Originally from Southern Italy, she moved to the UK to study Film and American Studies at the University of East Anglia and later relocated to London. After two years in publishing, she embarked on a new adventure, studying Applied Imagination at Central Saint Martins.

At present, she writes about slow fashion, theatre, literature, music and subcultures. She is also the Studio Manager for a consultancy providing circular solutions to fashion waste, and Digital Storyteller & Community Manager for an open makerspace. When not working or writing articles, she can be found wandering around London, contemplating the fiction book she should be editing.

IG: @benedetta_man

Website

Caterina Biondi is an Italian writer, poet and copywriter based in London. Writing in both Italian and English, she is interested in feminism, gender, sex, music and food. Her poetry describes the most intimate part of her. Through symbolism, she discusses love, abandonment and isolation.

As a journalist, she writes in Italian for RatPark magazine. In the independent magazine, she also publishes the regular food column ‘Cultural Frittata’. She has written in both languages for many other publications, such as Dàme, Heroica and XPULENT.

Website

Danah Lassiter is a late twenty-something whose dedication to writing poetry and grounded dramas parallels her desire to shape her impact. Hailing from Wilkes University with an MFA in Creative Writing, Danah has tackled various gigs – from crafting demo reel production scripts for indie NYC actors to being a politician's writing consultant to being in writers’ rooms in sports entertainment (WWE), soap-operatic podcasting (New Meadows Media) and gaming (2K Sports / Visual Concepts).

Danah continues to develop purpose through research, practice and application, and when not writing or thinking about writing, can be found enjoying Mr Ballen’s crime podcasts, incessantly decluttering her space, planning her next tattoo and continuing her study in becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

Elysha Horton is a UK-based writer who loves to examine the human experience. She delves into love, grief, friendship and self-actualisation in her work and hopes that her exploration of these topics provides some guidance, or just a comfortable place to spend some time.

Elysha is currently studying for her MSc in Applied Positive Psychology. She is interested in how we can recognise our strengths and capitalise on these to live a more fulfilled life.

When Elysha is not thinking about everything that has ever happened to her and making notes so she can write about it later, she can often be found in the gym, going to gigs, teaching herself French or hanging out with her cat, Oliver.

IG: elyshajh

X: @elyshajh

Emily Rolson is a Canadian cultural and fiction writer based out of Ontario. She has an Honours Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Human Rights from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2020. While she has been writing her own stories and pieces for years, she first published articles with Heroica in 2022 and continues to build her portfolio. Emily has experience in editing both manuscripts and articles and has been working on a novel series since 2019. She currently resides in Ottawa, Ontario, and is pursuing a Paralegal Diploma and continuing to write and edit.

Florenne loves to write about environmental issues and social injustices. Their work aims to maintain a positive undertone whilst shining light on the inequalities in our world and proposing ideas of how we can come together to prioritise inclusivity.

Florenne studied English literature at university and their dissertation explored the impact of the Bible on the modern-day marginalisation of lesbians. They are now working for a sustainable fashion app, combining their passions: sustainable fashion and writing

Hannah Lumi is a writer living in New York City. She believes in the cultivation of inner peace, the treasure of experiences and, most importantly, the power of words. Much of her work revolves around the notion of femininity and womanhood; it explores deeper themes of yearning, love and loss through philosophy, humanity, and sensuality.

She has a Bachelor of Communications and Media Studies, with a Minor in Creative Writing, and expects to further her academic career in the future by studying gender and ethical theory.

Harley is a writer based in Sheffield, UK. She writes poetry and creative non-fiction about constructions of selfhood, particularly womanhood. She is also working on two novels. Her poetry has been published in Route 57, The Sleeve Magazine and Book of Matches, and was selected as part of Cut Collective's New Writing Selection in 2022. Her novels have both won prizes in Sheffield’s Novel Slam competition.

Harley has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Sheffield. She is also a freelance creative development manager, currently supporting The Writers Workshop, a writing community organisation in Sheffield.

Website

IG: @harleyeryley

Jess Wilkinson is a neurodivergent West Yorkshire-based writer, bookworm, cat lady and Twin Peaks enthusiast. She is a BA English and Related Literature graduate from The University of York. Currently, she is a full-time bar supervisor who writes on her days off. She is also the social media manager for writer's community site WIPpitch and a freelance writer for The Music Mag.

She wrote her first novel, The Bus Stop, during university, and is currently working on her second, Lover Lover. The Bus Stop is a YA novel about a girl with undiagnosed autism who discovers that love won't fix all her problems, while Lover Lover is a litfic horror novel about how university can change you in strange ways.

IG: jesswilkin.son & robinreadss

Jessica Daly is a fiction and personal essay writer based in Vancouver, Canada. Her work has appeared in several literary magazines including Suspense Magazine, Misery Tourism, Rough Cut Press, Artist’s Syndicate, The Horror Zine, and more. She is also a regular contributor to Love in Passing Press and an editor at Patchwork.

jessicadaly31@gmail.com

Kyra is the Founder of Heroica. She manages the platform, focusing on the business and administrative tasks involved as well as the social media handles.

She created Heroica because she wanted to create a place where women and gender minorities could tell uncensored stories without hesitation. She wanted to be part of changing the media landscape to be more representative of our true society.

Luna Ferguson is a bisexual and disabled writer from the UK. She published her debut poetry book Borderline in June 2023. The book explores her life living with Borderline Personality Disorder through the art of poetry. Luna often shares insights into her disabilities and mental health diagnoses online in hopes of spreading awareness and creating a safe space for those going through the same thing.

IG: @kittiegh0st

Mary W is a budding writer, avid reader and content creator. She currently writes for DIVA magazine, Heroica and Black Ballad, covering topics across queerness, marginalised communities, mental health, pop culture and more. She loves to tackle issues from a fresh perspective and make big topics easy to understand and enjoyable to read.

Mary’s passion and goal through writing is to encourage others to reconsider the world around them and look at it in new ways. She currently writes opinion pieces, personal essays and fiction.

Instagram: @mary.is.writing

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Maya Garcia is a poet and essayist from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. She received a dual Bachelor of Arts in English and Puerto Rican and Latino Studies from Brooklyn College in 2020 and an Advanced Certificate in Labour Studies from the CUNY Graduate Center in 2021. She has received fellowships and residencies from VONA, The Watering Hole, Brooklyn Poets, The Seventh Wave magazine, The Loft Literary Centre and The Macondo Writers Workshop. Her work seeks to explore the intersections of latinidad, womanhood and working-class identities. Garcia lives in the Midwest.

IG: @mayag_23

Megan is a freelance writer and copywriter based in Bristol. She is interested in writing about feminism, specifically focusing on female empowerment. Megan is also a music Master’s graduate, applying her interest in female empowerment to her music studies. She is writing about the erasure of individuality and femininity in classical music in conjunction with dress code, and the changes that need to be made to create an inclusive environment for all genders in the classical music industry. Furthermore, Megan enjoys writing poetry, generally about aspects of her life or surroundings that inspire her.

Website

IG: @megan_emile

X: @meganemilyphil1

Born and raised in London, Miranda is a queer poet and filmmaker whose work explores desire and identity. With a background as an actress, she has performed in Olivier nominated West End theatre and BBC dramas and is a regular on the professional live poetry circuit. Her poetry has been published in literary magazines internationally and last year she was the recipient of The Curtis Brown Creative H.W Fisher Scholarship and The Literary Consultancy LGBTQ+ Free Reads Scheme. She is currently working towards her debut queer awakening novel, The Second Adolescence, which was longlisted for the 2023 Comedy Women in Print Unpublished Manuscript Prize.

Olivia Simone is a Caribbean British writer from East London. She read English at the University of Nottingham, Applied Linguistics at the University of Oxford, and is currently studying for a Master’s in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway.

Olivia is the founder and editor of Breadfruit, a creative writing magazine that showcases the work of women and non-binary people from the global majority. Her work has appeared in AZEEMA, Bricks, The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press, Hermes, The Radical Imagination Labs Journal and Heroica.

Her writing explores the boundaries between reality and non-reality and incorporates her experiences as a second-generation Caribbean British bisexual woman. By marrying her lived experiences with her interests in the nuances of existence, Olivia aims to disrupt eurocentric narratives concerning Black identities and reimagine notions of reality.

Olivia currently works as a freelance photographer, based in London and Lisbon. Fascinated by humankind and their stories, she enjoys exploring her imagination and finds joy in connecting people.

Storytelling, in all forms, is where she is most content. Having solo travelled last year, her camera was a companion and a catalyst to conversations. In her spare time, she writes poetry and has performed in both the UK and Portugal.

Olivia describes poetry as ‘accessible peace’. Her work delves into the themes of love, loss, desire and introspection. She hopes her work brings reassurance, awakening and peace of mind.

Website

IG: @oliviasirley

Photography IG: @oliviasirleyvisuals

Rachel Barduhn is an Afro-Jamaican and German writer/poet from Ontario, Canada. She has a few scattered publications under her belt such as Pinhole Poetry , Scarborough Arts (Issues 8 & 9), a short story with Hey Young Writer and a small collection of poetry with Bottlecap Press. In 2012 she placed third in a spoken word competition and in 2014 she earned herself the Robert Small Award for Black Arts.

Rachel focuses on various topics in her poetry including sexuality, womanhood, black identity, mental illness and many more. In fiction, she strives for diversity and inclusion woven into magical realism, Caribbean mythology or fantasy. When she isn’t focused on writing, she’ll create abstract collage art, putting women as her centrepiece. Her biggest inspirations for writing are writers like Staceyann-Chin, Warsan Shire, Jamaica Kincaid and Sappho.

Renae directed and produced her debut play, The Infant at age 16 with a local theatre company before her radio play, Silence was produced and performed live with Lamphouse Theatre. She went on to study Screenwriting at UCLan where she graduated with 1:1 and academic awards for Creative Excellence and the Robert Beers Prize for Outstanding Student; she also mentored writing at Liverpool's Royal Court Youth Theatre during this time.

She writes prose, stage plays and screenplays and is most passionate about writing dark comedies and dystopias that challenge responses to social issues.

IG: @renae_pippa_

Riya Rajeev (she/her) is a South Asian writer and actor based in London. Her writing explores the beauty and intricacies and constant shifting of identity. She hopes to use her writing to give a voice to underrepresented experiences and as a form of social reflection and activism. She has recently been part of the Royal Court’s Introduction to Play Writing group and headlined at Spoken Word Poetry events such as Speakbeat Collective’s ‘Sisterhood’ at the Bush Theatre and Poetic Unity’s ‘Poetry Foyer’ at Theatre Peckham.

Shondra Bowie Riley was born in Los Angeles in 1972. Surviving a double stroke at age 38 led her to deep introspection, reflection and a passion for writing.

Shondra was a Director, Sub-Editor and Writer for ZYA (formerly True & Woke), where she wrote articles on equality, climate change, gender-based violence and personal essays on living with a disability. Her portrait and words were part of photographer Nikki Kilburn’s ‘Our Voices’ immersive exhibition at Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket Gallery in 2022 and online for the 2020 Scottish Mental Health Festival. Her poetry is included in the University of Lincoln’s ‘The Lockdown House’, a virtual exhibitionLinktree highlighting women’s experiences of lockdown.

She lives in Edinburgh, Scotland with her teenage son. She continues writing poetry on themes of loss, belonging and the concept of home. She is currently writing a novel, pouring her experiences as a woman of colour and stroke survivor into fictional storytelling.

IG: @Shondrabowieriley

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Tara Claesgens is a New York-born author. She studied English Literature and History at the University at Albany and earned a degree that continues to inspire her to learn more about who we are and why we do what we do. She enjoys writing poetry, short stories and books about sex, fantasy worlds and dystopian societies. She can usually be found holed up in her room in New York City with one to four of her friends body doubling for her so she can get a few words written down.

IG: @t_claesywrites

Tumblr: tclaesywrites

Tola is a writer, avid reader and substack-er based in East London. She writes about the relationship between self-identity and community, and why we are the way we are. Through writing, Tola hopes to represent and convey the experiences of marginalised voices, the beauty of womanhood and the importance of saying how we feel.

Tola is currently working on her first novel and is represented by The Good Literary Agency. You can find some of her work on Heroica or her Substack (No One Asked).

IG: @tolz_

Substack

Valencia-Rosalia is 29 years old, born and raised in London but originally from Congo RDC. Raised around creatives, it’s always been easy for her to source inspiration in this city, whether that be through music, painting or writing. It’s always been important for her to be expressive and open with her feelings and emotions. As someone who always struggled to voice those emotions from a delicate age, becoming more outspoken and creating art through her words has helped her become more confident and comfortable within herself.

Veronica Agard (Ifáṣadùn Fásanmí) (she/her) is a poet, writer, abọ̀rìṣà, community educator, and connector at the intersections of Black identity, wellness, representation and culture. She curated the Who Heals the Healer series and the conference of the same name and facilitates the Ancestors in Training educational project, which Heroica has partnered with. Her initiatives are housed in her freelance platform, Vera Icon, LLC.

As a creative, Veronica’s words have been featured at The Grio, Let Your Voice Be Heard, Mic, For Harriet, Black Girl Magik, Life as Ceremony, Black + Well, Redefining Our, and Heritage Journal.