The UK’s ESEA creative communities are gearing up for the final submission period for GOLDEN, the new limited-edition annual magazine. A collaboration between the film curators at MilkTea, the cultural writers at Resonate, and the UK’s first ESEA bookshop, Juniper by the Sea, the magazine aims to be a definitive record of the year.
I sat down with Zoe Li, the founder of Juniper by the Sea, to discuss why, for a literature expert, a physical book still holds the ultimate power, and why she’s looking for the shyest, quietest voices to contribute
Juniper by the Sea is a sanctuary for ESEA literature, founded specifically because its curator, Zoe Li, felt the lack of a shared space for these stories growing up. For Li, contributing to a hardback magazine feels like a continuation of that founding mission.
“I’m a big fan of anything in printed work; I love the physicality of a book,” Li explained. She views the effort put into the project as a necessary investment in the community’s future. “The reason I signed on to the Golden project, even though time and resources are challenging right now, is because it’s something I would buy in a heartbeat and want to read.”
Read More: ESEA UK Culture: MilkTea, Resonate, and Juniper by the Sea Announce GOLDEN Magazine
Li admits that the magazine is exactly the kind of thing she wishes she’d had access to earlier in her life.
“The younger me, before I found this space, would have loved something like this,” she said. Li believes creating the annual is an honour because it helps create the inspiration she once desperately sought.
Seeking Nuance Beyond the Memes
As the literary voice on the editorial board, Li is focused on pushing contributors to explore the complex emotional and cultural territory of the British ESEA experience. She is highly conscious of making sure the magazine is truly diverse in its voices.
“I’m always very aware of my experiences and how they can differ from other people,” Li noted. As a British Chinese person, which she acknowledged is “the most dominant of the ESEA communities,” she is “keen to platform a real, meaningfully diverse range of voices.”
Li is excited to see the boundaries of the British ESEA literature scene expand through the submissions. She wants the writing in GOLDEN to move past superficial discussions.
“I think I want us to explore deeper beyond the memes and short skits of who we are,” she said, challenging potential writers to elevate the conversation. “I want us to take it to the next level: Who are we, and why are we the way we are? Where can we go next from here?”
Read More: Chi Thai Discusses GOLDEN Magazine and the Urgency of Documenting the British ESEA Experience
She is specifically looking for writing that tackles the “tricky space of having very different sets of culture and values—the tension between how we live and maybe how our family lives or how they want us to live.
Advice for the Quiet Voices
The GOLDEN team has been vocal about wanting to hear from everyone, especially those who haven’t been published before. Li had a particularly empathetic message for those who feel hesitant about submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI).
“As the quiet person in class my whole life, I really see them, and I want them to come forward. Here is a safe space for that,” Li offered.
She recalled her own shyness as a student. “As a book nerd at school, I didn’t want to put my hand up or voice my contributions because I didn’t feel it was a space for me. We’re trying really hard to show people it is a space for them.”
Li stressed that your past publishing experience means nothing to them. “You don’t have to have an internet profile, be established, or be published already. Just don’t be afraid to reach out because we’re the best group of people to receive that.”
Finally, Li advised contributors on how to truly make their EOI stand out: be honest.
“I think it’s about finding your voice,” she suggested. “I want your honesty—that honesty that comes from having dug deep inside you and not being afraid to share it. You shouldn’t be producing something you think we want to see.”
She urged people to be guided by their own curiosity. “Think about what you see in the topic you’re interested in, dig deep, explore that further, and then submit it.”
The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 31 October 2025. You can find the submission details on Milk Tea’s website.
View this post on Instagram
