Contributor Guidelines

● Who can submit? Youth under 30, especially from rural, Indigenous, or marginalized communities.

● Types of content accepted: Articles, reflections, photo essays, poems, interviews, artwork, how-to guides.

● Tone: Authentic, hopeful, informative, and respectful.

● Length: 300–800 words for written submissions.

● Honorarium: Small honorarium available for featured contributors (if funding permits).

Want to get involved and write for us:

Why Does This Space Matter?

Voices From Green Mind is more than a blog, it’s a space for youth to be real about how they’re feeling in a world that often feels overwhelming. When we talk about climate change, the focus is usually on science, policies, or disasters. But rarely do we ask, how does all of this make us feel? That silence can be heavy. For many of us, it shows up as anxiety, grief, anger, or guilt. Sometimes, it’s hope or curiosity. And often, it’s a mix of all of the above. This blog is here to hold those feelings, not fix them. It’s a place for messy, honest storytelling, where there’s no pressure to have the perfect solution or say the right thing.

We created this space because we believe that youth have a lot to say not just about what’s wrong with the world, but about how we’re surviving it, and dreaming beyond it. Our stories help us process, connect, and imagine something different. Whether it’s a poem written after a wildfire evacuation, a reflection about family and culture, or a quiet observation from a walk in the woods, every submission matters. We welcome pieces that are joyful, frustrated, emotional, curious, or still figuring things out. This is a space for feeling, for witnessing, and for remembering that we’re not alone in any of it.

How Do We Review and Share Stories?

When you submit a piece to Voices From Green Mind, it’s read carefully by real people, not algorithms. Most of our review team is made up of youth themselves, along with a few adult allies who support the editorial process. We approach each story with care and intention, because we know it takes courage to share. We’re not looking for “perfect” writing. We’re looking for honesty, thoughtfulness, and a voice that feels true to you. We might suggest edits to make things clearer or easier to read, but we always ask first and you get the final say.

You also get to decide how your story appears. You can include your full name, just a first name, your initials, or remain anonymous. Some people share their age, school, or location but none of that is required. If your story includes artwork or photos, we’ll check in about how you’d like those shared too. We publish stories as we receive and process them, usually every few weeks. Some posts come in quickly, others take longer to prepare and that’s okay. We value depth over speed.

We know storytelling isn’t just about hitting “publish”, it’s about being in relationship. That’s why we also follow up with contributors whenever possible, offering honoraria (when funding allows) and opportunities to stay connected with the Green Mind community. We want you to feel proud, not just published.

Consent, Story Safety, and What We Won’t Do

At Green Mind, we take your trust seriously. If you submit something to us, we will never publish it without your full and informed consent. For anyone under the age of 18, we ask that a parent or guardian is aware of your submission especially if it includes sensitive content. You can choose to withdraw your story, edit it, or change your author name at any time. You are always in control of your voice and your experience.

We also want to be upfront: this is not a space that expects or requires you to share trauma. Your story is valid whether you’re writing about heartbreak or happiness, activism or uncertainty. We do not publish stories that feel unsafe, exploitative, or potentially harmful to the writer or others. If something in your submission raises concerns (like references to self-harm, abuse, or high emotional risk), we may reach out with care to check in before moving forward. In those cases, we might also suggest resources or offer to connect you with someone who can help.

Our job is not to sensationalize pain it’s to hold space for growth, reflection, and creative expression. We honor your boundaries and trust your instincts. If you’re unsure whether your story “fits,” reach out anyway we’re here to walk with you through the process.

Finding the Stories That Speak to You

We know that everyone connects with different types of stories. That’s why Voices From Green Mind features a wide range of content from personal essays and poems to photo stories and creative guides. To make it easier to explore what resonates with you, we organize submissions into the following categories:

● Reflections & Lived Experience: Honest stories about how youth are processing climate change, identity, loss, family, or belonging.

● Creative Writing & Poetry: Pieces that use metaphor, imagination, or rhythm to express what’s hard to say in regular sentences.

● Community & Culture: Submissions that spotlight youth-led projects, cultural teachings, intergenerational knowledge, or group action.

● Youth Research & Opinion: Short articles where youth break down climate science, discuss policy, or share their perspectives on justice and change.

● Visual & Multimedia Stories: Artwork, zines, photography, and digital media that offer visual ways of making sense of the world.