Congratulations to Veronica Anne Francisco, one of the recipients of the 2025–26 Ooligan Press Diversity Scholarships!
Veronica Anne Francisco (she/they/siya) is a queer Filipina American writer from Tacoma, Washington. She earned her B.A. in creative writing from Western Washington University and her M.A. in Asian American studies from San Francisco State University. She will be pursuing book publishing at Portland State University. Her creative work explores the experiences of queer, Catholic, Filipina American women. Some of her writing can be found in Jeopardy Literary Magazine, Empyrean Literary Magazine, and International Examiner.
She aims to illuminate underrepresented, intersectional experiences in the literary industry, especially those from Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, LGBTQ+ people, and disabled people. Her other interests include skincare, crochet, and pop culture video essays. She also wastes time by reading webcomics, watching anime, playing video games, and listening (and poorly singing along) to K-pop and Pinoy music.
We are honored to share Veronica’s application essay here:
I plan to work in publishing acquisitions or editing, preferably in YA and adult fiction or graphic literature, to help authors from historically underrepresented or systemically underprivileged backgrounds get published. Moreover, I want to make publishing knowledge more accessible to those outside the field, whether for writers or for those who desire to work in the industry. Ultimately, I aim to work in semi-outreach capacities to encourage others from underrepresented backgrounds to enter the publishing industry, with independent and small/micro presses as my sources of inspiration. My background in ethnic and Asian American studies and experience working with LGBTQ+ students provide me with an exhaustive foundation on which to build the practical skills and knowledge I will gain from working in Ooligan Press and the program’s complementary publishing courses. The program’s social justice values will help me scrutinize my actions and attitudes appropriately, keeping me accountable for any systemic, stereotypical standards I may subconsciously perpetuate.
All my work is grounded in interdisciplinary frameworks such as critical race theory, queer of color theory, and woman of color feminism. I am averse to approaching “diversity, equity, and inclusion” as merely “identity politics” and instead endorse exploring, examining, and resisting the dynamics of power and privilege as they circuitously impact “othered” lived realities. Emulating Cathy J. Cohen’s original “Punks, Bulldaggers, and Welfare Queens,” David Takacs’ “How Does Your Positionality Bias Your Epistemology?”, and Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, I strive to commit to providing mutual support in my work and the spaces I inhabit, all while being open to learn from those I serve. For example, in a past academic publishing capacity, I engaged with authors on their research and due representation of their subjects and their voices (e.g., reviewing primary source attribution; including author positionality statements; conducting necessary supplemental research on obscure subjects). While such practice has sometimes burnt me out mentally and emotionally, I have gleaned much about other writers, editors, and communities, and in turn about my perception and areas for growth. I look forward to continuing this personal journey as I join Ooligan Press and Portland State University’s book publishing program.
The 2025–26 Ooligan Press Diversity Scholarships are awarded in honor of Indigo: Editing, Design, and More and poet Wopashitwe Mondo Eyen we Langa. Scholarships are awarded annually to incoming students to the Ooligan Press Master’s in Publishing program at Portland State University. Learn more here.
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