About WITCHES RISE
WHAT IT BE
WITCHES RISE was born from a love of all things magic + social justice. We want to connect with more people who love those things. We want to create space for stories and teachings and passion within those two things. We want to elevate the voices of those who identify as women of color, queer, genderqueer/non-binary, trans*, disabled, poor/working class, fat, and/or other marginalized/silenced identities, who seek to bring the spiritual and the physical worlds together in a way that serves all.
We use the word “witch” to describe an individual who is connected to both a spiritual realm and this physical realm, who value the meeting point of magic and mundanity, and who balance personal belief with critical thinking; no pointy black hats required. We do not value witches of one tradition over another (or no) tradition, or witches from one landscape over those of another.
We step away from terms like “shaman” and “lightworker,” and ideals like the Law of Attraction that turn a blind eye to oppression in all its forms, especially racism and classism.
We shun victim-blaming, slut-shaming, body-shaming, and rape apology. We do not abide internalized misogyny but seek to scrub it from our very bones.
We will call out and ask to be called out ourselves.
We seek to challenge cultural appropriation by spiritual folk by advocating for learning about our own internal workings, paths, and cultural lineages.
We challenge and seek to defy white supremacy.
We do not shy from the darkness within. We recognize that shadows only have strength when they’re ignored, denied, or feared. When we honor our shadows and bring them into our hearts, we are healed.
We reach for a unity that worships and honors diversity, collaboration, courage, community, and accountability.
We like crystals, tarot, divination, skulls, moonlight, ritual, science, and fun. There’s just one thing we don’t like.
We don’t like fluff in our woo.
We do not abide witches who make broad generalizations about nuanced, complex topics like “negativity,” or challenge belief systems so little that they believe that fairies are tiny white girls with butterfly wings.
We hope you’ll come play with us here. If you’re interested in submitting an article, check out the SUBMIT page. Otherwise, follow us so that you’ll get the latest updates. (First edition, PROTECTION, dropped last year — you’ll find the articles labeled with that word in the titles.) Direct any questions or comments either to the comments section of the appropriate post, or email us at witchesrisepub@gmail.com!
WHO WE BE
WITCHES RISE is a publication born out of the love for all things witchy, mythological, supernatural, spiritual, practical, natural, scientific, logical, sensible, and socially equitable between three mostly-humanoids living in the United States named Frankie D., Gwynne Michele, and Brianna S. Hey y’all!
Frankie D. is a queer, fat, disabled witch from a working class family. By daylight, she has a background in mental health, outdoor recreation, and wildlife rehabilitation, and is proud to be a first-generation college grad. By moonlight, she’s a self-taught animist and aspiring hedgewitch. Most of her witchcraft is devoted to ritual, animal messages, and exploring the ways in which our spiritual lives can benefit from devotion to our own mental health. Her passion for social justice and animism intersect in her blossoming study of ancestor worship. You can find more of her work at her wild light, or follow her on Instagram. If you’re interested in following her work that is published exclusively on Patreon (such as the Diary of a Woke Witch Wannabe and her series on animal messages), you can join her there.
Brianna is an aspiring witch with a passion for writing, reading and spellcasting for social justice. She identifies as a queer woman of color from a working-class background, and she is currently a Master’s student at a social work program in Massachusetts. Most of her work explores ritual and mindfulness as a means of connecting to ancestral tradition, the natural world, and somatic experience. She would love to one day run a social justice-focused private therapy and healing practice. To check out more of her work, visit her website! You can also compensate her at her Patreon or buy her a coffee.
Seer. Sorcerer. Spiritual Masochist. Gwynne is the creative force behind Bitchslap Journaling, The Bitchslap Method, and the webmistress of Her Wicked Ways. A Devotee of Holle and Paradox, Gwynne has been a witch for 27 years, and a rebel for 40. Ever determined to show people alternative ways of thinking and perceiving the world, Gwynne can be found at HerWickedWays.com and also on Facebook where she rants about politics, spiritual bypassing, and shares daily pictures of her adventures as a city hermit with too many cats.
