Interview XVI. Olivia Simone
shares what compelled her to start Breadfruit
Description: Olivia Simone is a prolific artist from East London who manifests her creativity through writing, research, painting, and managing the platform she found and established, Breadfruit—a zine dedicated to sharing the creative works of women and non-binary people from the global majority. She is a remarkable figure in our community due to her consistent work on uplifting voices of the traditionally silenced. In this interview, Olivia Simone shares what compelled her to start Breadfruit.
Introduction to Olivia Simone: Hi, I’m Olivia and it is a true honor to do this interview with you today.
Hi Olivia! What an honor to interview you today. You have been an inspiration to me and many others through your dedication of fostering spaces for underrepresented artists to share their stories. With that, kudos to you, and let’s get started. First and foremost, I am very curious to know—what sparked your interest in creative forms of expression?
Firstly, thank you so much for reaching out—it’s an honor for me too. In terms of when it all began, I was always a creative child, and I loved reading from a young age. Books completely captivated me, and I’m very lucky to have parents who encouraged my creativity. My mum would take me to the library all the time. I think I was particularly drawn to writing because, although I was quite chatty at home, I was a fairly reserved child, and I often found it difficult to express what I was thinking or feeling out loud. Writing made much more sense to me—it was a way of speaking that felt clearer.
What was the moment that you recognized creativity stretches a long way for storytelling, and how has it changed the way you approach creating pieces (from writing to your paintings)?
Great question. One moment that stands out to me is when I was nine, and we were learning about climate change at school. We were asked to create something that reflected our thoughts on the subject. I chose to write a poem, a series of questions trying to make sense of why people can be so thoughtless and apathetic toward the planet’s health and sustainability. That’s when I realized creativity can engage with real life and have tangible impacts. Since then, my creative work has always been deeply intertwined with my values and politics.
Now, to the thing I’ve been waiting to ask: what inspired you to create Breadfruit? How was the transition from artist to promoter of art?
Eighteen months before founding Breadfruit, I decided to properly dedicate myself to my writing and started submitting work to various competitions across the UK. Most of the time, I was unsuccessful—as all creatives know, pursuing what we love often comes with a lot of rejection. When I looked at the prize winners, I often saw the same kinds of people winning, or the same styles and themes being chosen. At the same time, I was encountering so many brilliant writers at events and online whose work wasn’t being showcased in the way it deserved. That’s when I decided to create the platform I had been looking for.
I wouldn’t say I’ve transitioned from being an artist to being a promoter of art—it feels more like an addition. I still actively work on my own art all the time. Mostly, I really enjoy it. Reading submissions is my favorite part of running Breadfruit—there are so many talented writers, many of whom we publish for the first time. The only part I enjoy less is the admin side (updating the website etc.), haha—but it’s all worth it!
What is the significance behind the name Breadfruit for your zine? Did you immediately choose the name or were you considering others initially? If so, what were the other options?
I liked the idea of a name that connected parts of the world our writers might be writing from, writing about, or have ancestral ties to. I also wanted something organic, something that, like the zine, could grow and help nurture creative careers. Being of Caribbean descent myself, breadfruit was one of the first things that came to mind. It’s a fruit that grows not only in the Caribbean, but also in the Pacific Islands, Central America, South America, and parts of Africa and Asia.
Thus far, what has been the most rewarding moment for you as the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Breadfruit?
One of the most rewarding moments is when I send someone an email saying their work has been chosen for publication, and they write back to say how much it means to them—especially when it’s their first time being published. That never stops feeling special.
Who or what motivates you to keep running Breadfruit? Inspiration is one thing, but motivation is a whole other.
Honestly, it’s the people who consistently engage with the platform—whether they’re submitting their work, sharing posts, or even just liking something on Instagram. It’s such a supportive community. Without them, I don’t think I would’ve kept it going the way I have.
Tell us about your plans for Breadfruit. Where do you see it going in the next few years? What are you most excited for?
One day I’d love to create a print issue, and/or organize something in support of a charity. Sourcing funding and time for these projects means things move a bit slowly, but I feel confident these will come to life in the next couple of years. That’s what I’m most excited about—growing the platform in a way that means it continues to give back.
Who is one writer that you wish you could publish (it can be someone who is alive or from history, famous or not, etc.) in Breadfruit?
Ooo—the first person who comes to mind is Dionne Brand.
Coming to a close here, what is one piece of advice that you offer to others who dream of cultivating empowering platforms such as yours?
Honestly—just start. When I launched Breadfruit, I didn’t have a fully developed plan. I didn’t even have a website—just a logo and an idea. But starting gave me the momentum to keep going and build something meaningful. I’m generally someone who loves to plan and stay organized, but I’ve learned that sometimes planning can get in the way of doing.
Now to the signature question: who is your favorite writer?
There are so many, of course—but if I had to pick one, it’d be Gloria Naylor. I’ve read almost all of her published work, and there’s something about the combination of her lyricism, her characters, and the thread of magic that runs through her stories—they leave such deep imprints on my heart.
Olivia Simone’s Biography: Olivia Simone (b. 1999) is a writer and artist from East London. Her work has appeared in butch-femme press, The Bedford square review, AZEEMA, Bricks Magazine, Lesbian Art Circle, The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press, Hermes Magazine, the Free Black University’s Radical Imagination Labs Journal, and Heroica. Olivia is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Breadfruit—a creative writing magazine that showcases the work of women and non-binary people who identify as part of the global majority. Exploring her interests in existence, the self, and reality, Olivia draws on magical realism to invite readers onto a lesser-explored plane of the human experience. At the same time, her work reflects her experiences as a Caribbean British queer woman in London. By straddling ideas surrounding identity, Blackness, womanhood, and philosophies of existence, nature, and time, she aims to detangle western perceptions of reality in order to highlight how reconnecting the self with nature can lead to Liberation. Currently, Olivia is working on her debut novel and completing a funded PhD in Creative Writing at King’s College London, where she is exploring precolonial spiritualities in magical realist fiction by African-Caribbean diaspora women writers. She is represented by Rachel Goldblatt at Curtis Brown Literary Agency.