Our Team
Meet The Editors!
JQ Shearin (They/Them) | Editor-in-Chief
JQ Shearin (they/them) is the editor-in-chief at OutWrite. They are a third-year double major in History and Economics with a passion for local activism and transformative queer readings of art.
Ariana Castro (She/Her) | Managing Editor
Ariana Castro (she/her) is a managing editor at OutWrite and a fourth-year English major at UCLA. Her passions include queer joy, creative writing, and Pilipinx and Pilipinx-American culture, history, and advocacy.
Claude C. (He/They) | Managing Editor
Claude (he/they) is a Korean-American managing editor at OutWrite and a third-year Psychobiology student hoping to earn their PhD in psychology after graduation. He spends his leisure time researching psychology and taking part in the goth scene.
Max C. (He/Him) | Developmental Editor
Max C. (he/him) is a developmental editor, writer and artist at OutWrite and a second-year Political Science major. He loves animals, gummy candy, history, and cheesy YA romance novels. When he isn’t studying or reading, he’s probably crying over another pug post on Instagram.
Ember Ireland (They/Xe) | Developmental Editor
Ember Ireland (they/xe) is a second-year Labor Studies and Disability Studies double major and a developmental editor for OutWrite. They are passionate about advocacy for social justice through writing, and consuming queer media to share with others. Aside from writing, they love playing piano, playing with their cats, dancing, and chilling in the LGBTQ+ CRC.
Jericho Tran-Faypon (They/Them) | Developmental Editor
Jericho Tran-Faypon (they/them) is a developmental editor for OutWrite. They are a third-year Psychology and Sociology double major who enjoys critical thinking, people-watching, and listening to other people’s stories. As a part of OutWrite, they hope to contribute to the coming together of the queer community and the dismantling of the cisheteropatriarchy!
Gracie Bitting (She/Her) | Copy Chief
Gracie Bitting (she/her) is excited to be a copy chief at OutWrite! She is a third year Biophysics major and enjoys musical theatre, cats, and spending time with friends and family.
Gabriella Silverman (They/She) | Copy Chief
Gabriella Silverman (they/she) is a copy chief at OutWrite, and a third year physiological science major. They love reading, geography, and constantly checking the front page of the New York Times.
Ellie Chun (She/They) | Layout Director
Ellie Chun (she/they) is the Layout Director at Outwrite. She is a third-year Psychology major who enjoys crochet, cozy games, theatre, and dance.
Ava Rosenberg (She/They) | Podcast Head
Ava Rosenberg (she/they) is Podcast Head, and a copy editor and secondary writer at OutWrite. She is a third year sociology major and loves writing about queer news in professional and college sports. They are a huge LA Rams fan, casual D&D player and fine cheese critic.
Meet The Staff!
Ajax Ward (He/Him) | Writing Intern
Ajax (he/him) is a writer at OutWrite. He is a first-year History major and Classical Civilization minor who aspires to become a lawyer working in civil rights law. He is a first-generation college student who loves scrapbooking, weird earrings, reading, buffalo chicken, and drawing.
Alyssa Avila (She/Her) | Podcast
Alyssa Avila (she/her) is a third year World Arts and Cultures major and a podcast team member at Outwrite Magazine. In her free time, she enjoys thrifting, journaling, and taking photos.
Catherine Zhang (She/Her) | Artist
Catherine Zhang (she/her) is an artist at OutWrite. She is a first year Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics major who enjoys drawing digitally in her free time. The Owl House is her comfort show.
Charles LeBeau (He/Him) | Writer
Charles LeBeau (he/him) is a writer at OutWrite. He’s a junior and a transfer from Santa Monica College, currently attending UCLA as a psychology major. He’s a fan of sudoku, horror conventions, and oldies on the radio.
Dalia Villalobos Jimenez (She/Her) | Copy Editor
Dalia Villalobos Jimenez (she/her) is a copy editor at OutWrite. She is a first year English major hoping to minor in professional writing. Her hobbies include baking, reading gothic novels, playing the guitar, and going to local cafés!
Emerie Avila (She/Her) | Writer
Emerie Avila (she/her) is a writer at Outwrite and a second year English major. In her free time, she likes watching zombie movies, reading books, and eating just about anything with chocolate.
Jessica Rose (She/Her) | Writer
Jessica Rose (she/her) is a writer and a first-year English major at UCLA. She loves writing, having published her debut novel “The World Above the Waves” in August of 2022. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading sapphic literature, playing d&d, or wherever her girlfriend is.
Jocelyn Diaz (She/They) | Writer
Jocelyn Diaz (she/they) is a writer at OutWrite. She is a fourth-year English major and Education Studies minor. She is passionate about finding good deals at thrift stores, boba, and, of course, reading and writing!
Juliet Clark (She/Her) | Writer
Juliet Clark (she/her) is a writer at OutWrite. She is a third year English major. She believes that we exist to create art, and also in aliens.
Kaden Phan (He/Him) | Artist
Kaden (he/him) is an artist at OutWrite. He is a first year Psychology major. His interests include cats, digital illustration, typology (He’s an INFJ 3w2!), alternative rock, and K-pop.
Kel Yu (She/Her) | Artist
Kel Yu (she/her) is an artist at OutWrite. She is a first year Civil Engineering major and avid animator and storyteller. She loves building with Legos, collecting stickers, and generally obsessing over various forms of animated media.
Len Park (They/Them) | Artist, Writer
Len Park (they/them) is an artist and a writer at OutWrite. They are a first year sociology major and loves all forms of storytelling. In their art, they display their dry humor, odd symbolism, and depictions a possible reality if we asked ourselves “why not?”
Luna Choi (She/They) | Writer
Luna Choi (she/they) is a writer at OutWrite. She is a second year History major and a lover of cats, movies, and playing chess.
Maddie McEwen (She/They) | Photographer
Maddie McEwen (she/they) is a third year Environmental Science major and Conservation Biology minor. She’s a photographer for OutWrite with a passion for native biodiversity, social activism and sustainability. They love hanging out with their cats and running a flourishing Stardew Valley farm in their spare time.
Mary Nassar (She/Her) | Writer
Mary Nassar (she/her) is a writer at OutWrite. She is a second year English major planning to minor in LGBTQ Studies and a lover of the written word. She loves to rave about queer media, write short stories and poetic prose, unwind at the gym, and listen to Julia Michaels!
Maya Balakrishnan (She/They) | Artist
Maya Balakrishnan (she/they) is an artist at OutWrite. She is a third year Computer Science major who is passionate about using tech to make the world a better place. She also loves decorating cakes, watching video essays, and listening to all kinds of music.
Maya Parra (She/Her) | Copy Editor
Maya Parra (she/her) is a copy editor and writer at OutWrite. She is a third year English and Communication double major. She loves listening to music, reading classics and thrillers, and watching movies (especially Studio Ghibli ones).
Melissa Vera (She/They) | Writer
Melissa Vera (she/they) is a writer at OutWrite. She is a first year History major and believes in the power of using written word to invoke change. They love poetry, music, and spending time with their dogs.
Mia Dowdell (She/Her) | Layout
Mia D (she/her) is layout staff at OutWrite. She’s a first year English major with hopes to pursue a second major in Communications. She can be found writing poetry or reflecting on how Succession changed her brain chemistry.
Michel Weiner (He/Him) | Copy Editor
Michel W (he/him) is a copy editor for OutWrite. He is third year Classics major and double minoring in Music Industry and Musicology. In his free time he likes to sing, song-write, and spend time with his cats.
M R (She/Her) | Writer
M R (she/her) is a writer with OutWrite and is going into her fourth year of school. She is a Philosophy and History double major who loves cartoons and horror video games.
Niki Senthil (She/Her) | Copy Editor
Niki Senthil (she/her) is a copy editor at OutWrite. She is a first year Computer Science and Engineering major. In her free time, Niki enjoys singing, working out, listening to r&b, writing bad poetry, and reading good poetry (and prose).
Rhea Morita (They/Them) | Copy Editor
Rhea Morita (they/them) is a copy editor at OutWrite and a first-year English major planning to minor in Creative Writing. They love all things sapphic, particularly WLW literature. When they’re not creative writing, they’re spending time with their two cats or ranting about queer media to anyone who’ll listen.
Ruth Torrence (She/Her) | Layout
Ruth Torrence (she/her) is on layout staff at OutWrite and a third-year Materials Science and Engineering major. As a Makerspace Technician, artist, and engineer, she is passionate believer in the importance of creating.
Samantha Reavis (She/Her) | Writer
Samantha Reavis (she/her) is a writer at Outwrite and a first year ethnomusicology major. She is extremely passionate about arts and entertainment writing.
Sarah Belew (She/They) | Layout
Sarah Belew (she/they) is on layout staff at OutWrite, and a senior applied linguistics major at UCLA. She is passionate about design and writing, and loves her two cats, Pesto and Anomaly, in their free time.
Siri Suvvari (She/They) | Artist
Siri Suvvari (she/they) is an artist at OutWrite. She is a first year public affairs major with a passion for reading, visual arts, and crochet.
Soren Kaur (They/Them) | Artist
Soren Kaur (they/them) is a first year Psychology major and an artist at OutWrite. They love cats, art, seals, music, tv shows, and trinkets.
Taylor Kunin-Ur (She/Her) | Writer
Taylor Kunin-Ur (she/her) is a writer at Outwrite. She is a second year Psychology major with a passion for social change and justice. She loves books, the Warriors (NBA all day), and writing short stories.
Want to join us?
OutWrite accepts applications every Fall and Winter quarter! Keep an eye on our Instagram and monthly newsletter for when applications open next.