“Southland” identifies us as a strong regional literary presence in our part of California, where we intend to both contribute to and shape the literary landscape, conversation, and community. “Alibi” is a wink of a reference to the film Double Indemnity, in which characters use “taking night classes at UCLA” as an alibi.
Charles Jensen is the program director of The Writers’ Program. He’s the author of a forthcoming memoir, Splice of Life: A Memoir in 13 Film Genres; three poetry collections, most recently Instructions between Takeoff and Landing; and seven chapbooks. His work has appeared in American Poetry Review, Crab Orchard Review, The Florida Review, New England Review, Passages North, and Prairie Schooner. The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs designated him a 2019-2020 Cultural Trailblazer.
Jeanne De Vita has worked in publishing for more than a decade in acquisitions, content editing, and copyediting. As a developmental editor, she has worked with NYT, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers as well as aspiring writers just beginning their author journey. A former staff writer for a serial fiction app, Jeanne’s bestselling paranormal dystopian series Bug was an Amazon Editor’s Pick upon its release on Kindle Vella and she has ghostwritten several bestselling novels. She has been featured on podcasts and interviewed on topics ranging from romance novel cover art to writing craft and was the guest book coach on the Dale L. Roberts YouTube reality show Book Rescue. Jeanne holds an MFA in Creative Writing-Fiction from the University of Notre Dame and teaches writing and editing at UCLA Extension.
Stephanie Fung is an editor based in Santa Clara, California, bringing three years of diverse experience across publishing, technology, and public service. She holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Planning from the University of Waterloo and is pursuing a Certificate in Editing and Publishing from UCLA Extension. When she isn’t reading and writing, she loves playing the harp and cuddling her two cats, Kitkat and Jingles.
Aleesha Nash is a New York city-based visual artist who tells stories that help shift the inaccuracies around African Americans' cultural identity. Aleesha’s recent theater projects include Lipstick (Cherry Lane Theatre), Park Bench (Primary Stages), The Raven (The Wild Project), Lilies (The Arctic Group). Yellow Banter (The Flea Theater), We Dem Boyz (Goddard College) Black Hole Dating App (Kraine Theatre), and Yours Truly, Vincent. (Emerging Artist Festival).
Aleesha is an alumna of the Lincoln Center Director's’ Lab and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation Observership program. She holds an MA from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, and an MFA in dramatic writing from Goddard College in Vermont, where she received their Engaged Artist Award.
Nikkita graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Japanese. Taking an interest in art and design, she became a Graphic Designer and Writer based in Los Angeles. Currently, she is focusing on Digital Media to discover other methods of storytelling.
Southland Alibi is the student-run literary journal published by the Writers’ Program at UCLA Extension.
We seek high quality works of art, fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. We do not charge submission fees and publish on a rolling basis year-round. We welcome work from established as well as emerging creatives that will make us laugh, cry, love, or nod our heads in the wonderment or bewilderment of life.
The editorial staff is dedicated to supporting work that represents diverse viewpoints and experiences and that may also cross boundaries of genre and form.
Please submit work via: writersprogram.submittable.com/submit
Learn how we can help your organization meet its professional development goals and corporate training needs.
Support our many efforts to reach communities in need.