Posts tagged Zine events

Scene Report (POC Zine Project edition): L.A. Zine Fest 2013

Here are some moments from our first tabling and panel experience as invited guests at L.A. Zine Fest on February 17, 2013:

1. When we arrived at the Ukrainian Cultural Center and were impressed with the space

2. L.A. collaborator Chula Doula posing with flowers before assisting us with POCZP tabling needs (Thanks, Pati!)

Pati Garcia is a Certified Sexological bodyworker/Somatic Sex Educator, self-identifies as genderqueer/fluid two spirit of Peruvian-Mexican descent, loves to dig feet in the earth and throw love into the cosmos. Pati holds space for life unraveling and unwinding as a birth doula. Pati follows only the spirit led path and refuses to compromise pleasure for any reason at all. Radical feminist doula bodyworker, workshop facilitator. Wanna see your cervix?? Ask her how.

3. When Cristy C. Road, Suzy X, Chula Doula and Mariam Bastani all tabled together at the same time <3

Osa Atoe (Shotgun Seamstress) isn’t in this shot because she was reading during the Mend My Dress Press panel. Tomas Moniz (Rad Dad) was tabling elsewhere but joined us for the POCZP minutes after this photo was taken. POCZP founder Daniela was taking photos with her weird camera, which she will be replacing (sorry for the fuzz y’all).

Here is what Tomas had to say about his first experience collaborating with POCZP at an event:

Two and half hours is pushing it for a bad Hollywood movie; so when I realized the POC Zine Project workshop at this year’s L.A. Zine Fest lasted that long and the crowed remained attentive, invested, engaged throughout all six presentations, I was shocked.  But this fact demonstrates exactly how vital and important the event was!

I’ve attend and participated in many readings, but this one was special; this one was with people who have inspired me for years, Cristy C. Road and Mariam from MRR, as well as people who’s work is some of the best stuff out there today, Suzy X’s Malcriada and Osa Atoe’s Shotgun Seamstress; I also got the chance to thank the founder of the POC Zine Project organizer, Daniela, for keeping alive some of the zines that inspired me as I entered my own critical consciousness and keeping these important resources available for those who come after us.

4. Getting to know our tabling neighbors, such as Thi Bui and her son (who is also an artist!)

Thi Bui was born in Saigon, raised in California and schooled in New York. She teaches high school and has a little boy and a husband. She have been hard at work, writing and drawing a graphic novel called THE BEST WE COULD DO. It is a 15-chapter immigration epic about her parents, their place in history, and her search for her place in her family.

5. When Mariam and other folks from Maximumrocknroll joined the POCZP table with more issues featuring punks and activists of color

POCZP founder Daniela Capistrano (L) and Mariam Bastani (R)

Maximumrocknroll is a widely distributed monthly fanzine dedicated to supporting the underground punk rock scene. MRR’s 25-year plus history and large, obsessed all-volunteer staff has made its punk rock coverage the most consistently up-to-date and reliable around. Subscribe here or purchase individual issues here.

6. Quese IMC participating during our panel and speaking about #IdleNoMore (thanks again, Quese IMC! xoxoxo)

Quese IMC had this to say immediately after the event:

I had a really good time. I enjoyed myself. Was good for me to see a different perspective and meet some cool people. Look forward to hearing from you and definitely keep me updated what you have in mind for the tour…

We are in the process of figuring out how Quese IMC can join us during the 2013 Race Riot! Tour to help share information about #IdleNoMore actions in the Canada, U.S., and around the world. Stay tuned for updates …

7. When our panel at the Moth Theatre quickly became over capacity, and we had to scramble to find additional seating/make space (all great problems to have!)

 Osa Atoe reading at L.A. Zine Fest

Suzy X reading at L.A. Zine Fest (C) while Osa (L) and Mariam (R) observe

This was Suzy’s second time reading as part of a POCZP event. Osa’s commentary afterward? “Suzy is hilarious.” We agree! Check out her latest zine, Malcriada. Suzy will also be joining us next month for Chicago Zine Fest, woo! <3

Here is what Suzy had to say about her time with POCZP at L.A. Zine Fest:

I was so honored to join the POC Zine Project last week at LA Zinefest! Our panel on Sunday afternoon brought up a lot of feelings for me, as the new girl in a scene of bad-ass POC in zines. It’s really mind-blowing how long it took for someone to finally initiate a project like this, a project that centers the voices of people of color in DIY publishing. I discussed my experience— a baby feminist living in a conservative household in the South, without access to any zines, much less zines by POC, until I attended college. And after hearing all these wonderful folks speak, I felt terribly late to the party, because they had been going at it for years! And doing a damn good job of it, too.

I’m incredibly thankful for the initiative Daniela has taken in bringing us all together. But in going forward, I think a conversation should happen in which we discuss access to those who don’t belong to punk scenes or those who don’t live in urban or densely-populated areas. This project was started to shed light on the history of POC in zines; but I am interested in working on ways to make this history available and accessible to more people. This could mean partnering up with existing distros or starting one by and for POC! Whatever works you know? And I’m excited to continue these conversations during the zine tour in Fall 2013.

Suzy X was delighted to find out after sending this recap that POCZP has been engaging in this conversation with folks for years. The POC Zinester & Ally National Conference will take place in the midwest in late 2014 and POCZP’s primary zine partner, SlushPilePress, is located in a remote area of Eugene, Oregon. Our poverty zine partner Carey Fuller is based in Kent, WA, which is also an undeserved area.

COMMUNITY: If you are located in the midwest and/or rural areas without much support for independent publishers, email poczineproject@gmail.com we can discuss ways to partner. <3

Just one section of our over capacity audience - it was so great to meet many of the attendees afterward!

 Cristy C. Road reading at L.A. Zine Fest

8. Reconnecting with POCZP West Coast collaborators like Liz Mayorga

Chula Doula (L) and Liz Mayorga (R) at dinner after L.A. Zine Fest

Liz  is a writer / illustrator from Southeast LA.  She grew up watching old, Black and White, Mexican films and selling burritos with her family.  The films were her inspiration.  The tacos and burritos paid for college.  She used to work with teenagers, and they taught her what it means to be brave.  Their energy and fearlessness inspired her to write and draw for herself, but she ends up creating for them too. 

Liz is now an MFA Writing Student at CCA, where she writes both fiction and nonfiction, milks the Illustration department for all they’re worth, and experiences an existential crisis every day.  Despite the hard work and many sleepless nights, she is extremely grateful to read, write, and draw. She thanks you for your support.

Liz is helping us with tour fundraiser events on the West Coast between now and October. If you’re interested in supporting POCZP West Coast initiatives, send us a message: poczineproject@gmail.com.

9. Helping more folks discover zines by people of color

We met so many rad people at L.A. Zine Fest and will be reaching out to everyone who signed our mailing list in the coming weeks. <3

10. Meeting (in person!) & collaborating with more inspiring zinesters of color like Tomas Moniz 

Tomas Moniz (L) and Suzy X (R) at the POC Zine Project table at L.A. Zine Fest on February 17, 2013

Tomas Moniz is the founder, editor, and a writer for the award winning zine Rad Dad. Looking for radical parenting community, he created Rad Dad to provide the space for parents (particularly fathers) to share, commiserate and plan with each other, and to support each other in challenging patriarchy one diaper at a time. As China Martens has said, “Tomas has been the most vocal voice within zines, trying to start and keep a discussion within this aspect of radical politics and parenthood.” His writing has been included in many zines about parenting as well as in the books My Mother Wears Combat Boots and Don’t Leave Your Friends Behind.

This event marks the first time Tomas participated in a POCZP panel. We’re looking forward to connecting with him at Chicago Zine Fest next month and discussing ongoing collaborations!

A HUGE thank you to L.A. Zine Fest organizers Meredith Wallace and  Rhea Tepplim for all their help, as well as to everyone who volunteered at the fest. <3

Our panel was recorded and we are in the process of tracking down video so we can share it with you all.

COMMUNITY: Did we meet you in person at L.A. Zine Fest? Tell us about your experience exploring our tabling area or what you thought about our panel discussion. Submit your thoughts here or email poczineproject@gmail.com (all voices welcome, including white folks <3). 

We’ll update this recap with more reactions and photos from POCZP members and L.A. Zine Fest attendees in the coming days.

Race Riot! Tour Recap: Brooklyn! @ Death By Audio on Oct 7, 2012 

Ten days have passed since our Race Riot! tour finale event at Death By Audio in Brooklyn. Our last tour date had the most amount of people in attendance, and zine partner sales were higher than any other stop on our tour, so thank you NYC for your love and support!

We’re going to do a zine and art book about our first tour experience, (details coming soon) so for now, here are some beautiful moments from October 7, 2012:

- Cristy C. Road gets the crowd at Death By Audio to sing “Tell It to My Heart” by Taylor Dayne before she begins reading from Spit and Passion

Photo by Mimi Thi Nguyen

- POC Zine Project’s Race Riot! Tour attendees at Death by Audio on Oct 7, 2012

- Mimi Thi Nguyen reads at Death By Audio

- Leshaun lovell (l) Share roman (m) and Jade Fair (r) at POCZP’s Race Riot! Tour stop at Death By Audio on Oct 7

- DJ Shomi Noise holding her zines Building Up Emotional Muscles #1-3 at Death By Audio on Oct 7

- Shady Hawkins perform at Death By Audio

Photo by Mary Christmas

- Mimi (l), Cristy (m) and Suzy X (r) from the band Shady Hawkins chill on stage 

- Joan Chen came all the way from the west coast and brought Bay Area poc zines for the archive! <3 Thanks, Joan!

- Back of crowd during Anna Vo’s reading at Death By Audio

Photo by Mimi Thi Nguyen

- Osa Atoe, creator of the Shotgun Seamstress series (out now on Mend My Dress Press), reads at Death By Audio

- Aye Nako performs at Death By Audio

Photo by thetenderestheart

- Part of POC Zine Project’s Race Riot! Mall at Death By Audio

Photo by Mimi Thi Nguyen

MEMORIES FROM THE EVENT

By Daniela

The venue was PACKED and at a certain point (about halfway through the show) we had to ask everyone who was sitting to stand up so that a horde of folks waiting in line outside could get in. Like all of our other tour stops, the door cover was sliding scale/pay what you can with no one turned away for lack of funds.

Although DBA had a cash bar, people kept it together and the energy overall was amazing. Around 9pm, after I had made sure the projector was working, we kicked things off.

 Jamie Varriale Vélez, our local guest reader, did an amazing job and was super brave (she read first). Race Riot! crew Osa, Anna Vo, Mimi Thi Nguyen and Cristy C. Road followed. I played MC, worked at the Race Riot! mall, dealt with problems as they came up and took some of the photos you see in this post.

We’re still getting tons of positive feedback for Aye Nako and Shady Hawkins, the two fierce bands that held down the second half of the evening.

Jordan Alam tabled on behalf of the Barnard Zine Library (longtime ally entity), sharing some of the POC and feminist zines available in their collection. Thanks, Jordan and Jenna Freedman! <3

BIG THANKS to Cristy C. Road for coordinating our finale event logistics, Death By Audio for allowing us to use the venue and all the DBA folks who handled sound and door needs.

I’m probably forgetting to thank a million people but we’ll get it together for the zine and art book that we’re doing for the tour. 

We’ll have more candids and quotes from tour members and attendees in the weeks to come.

Thanks again, you reading this right now, for your interest and support. This is an experiment in community and activism through materiality. If you took any photos or video of this event and are willing to share so we can add it to our documentation, please email daniela@dcapmedia.com. <3

***ANNOUNCEMENT***

If you’re interested in developing your digital media and community organizing skills by interning for POC Zine Project, email daniela@dcapmedia.com.

We can provide college credit or, if you’re not enrolled at an accredited university, professional mentorship. Meatspace internships will take place at DCAP Media HQ in NYC. Telecommuting/remote production internships are also available.

IMPORTANT THINGS

1) We’re doing a zine about this tour, so if you were part of any of the events, let us know if you want to contribute by emailing daniela@dcapmedia.com.

2) We’re doing a national conference in 2014. 

3) We’re doing a west coast tour in 2013.

4) If you want to be a part of any upcoming POCZP events, let us know.

5) We love you.

ABOUT POC ZINE PROJECT

POC Zine Project’s mission is to make zines by people of color easy to find, distribute and share - community and activism through materiality. We took the Race Riot! tour through 12 cities from Sept 24 - Oct 7, 2012.

STAY INFORMED

poczineproject.tumblr.com

facebook.com/poczineproject

twitter.com/poczineproject

All tour dates: http://bit.ly/PeEgaR

TOUR RECAPS ARCHIVE

Oct 7: Death By Audio - Brooklyn

Oct 6: University of Maryland + Brickhaus - College Park and Baltimore

Oct 5: St. Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church - Washington, D.C.

Oct 4: University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh

Oct 3: Skylab - Columbus

Oct 2: Rachael’s Cafe - Bloomington

Oct 1: University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign + UCIMC - Champaign

Sept 30: multikulti - Chicago

Sept 29: University of Michigan + 3rd Death Star - Ann Arbor

Sept 28: The Trumbullplex - Detroit

Sept 27: Ohio University + evening potluck with Cindy Crabb - Athens

Sept 26: Mr. Roboto Project - Pittsburgh

Sept 25: The Wooden Shoe - Philly

Sept 24: 538 Johnson - NYC - Brooklyn

Sept 14 - Wellesley College pre-Race Riot! tour panel

All photos should be credited to Daniela Capistrano/POC Zine Project unless otherwise noted. Please be sure to credit and link to poczineproject.tumblr.com if you reblog individual pics. Tx! <3

Race Riot! Tour Recap: College Park + Baltimore! @ University of Maryland + BrickHaus on Oct 6, 2012 

On October 6, 2012, we had two Race Riot! tour events: a daytime campus reading and discussion at the University of Maryland and an evening DIY show at BrickHaus in Baltimore.

Neither of these events would have been possible without the help of Sine Hwang Jensen, a member of MOONROOT Collective who agreed to be our local organizer after we met her at the Bmore Feminist BBQ Series in August of 2012. She was there presenting about her involvement in Baltimore Racial Justice Action.

We originally found Sine after discovering MOONROOT and we are so grateful to her for supporting our tour needs in College Park and Bmore. Thanks, Sine! <3

- Race Riot! tour members Cristy C. Road (left), POC Zine Project founder Daniela Capistrano, Mimi Thi Nguyen, Anna Vo and Osa Atoe at the University of Maryland

Photo credit: Melissa Rogers

Due to traffic and a finicky GPS device, we were almost an hour late to our campus event. ‘Ish happens! Thankfully folks stuck around and we had a great time discussing the topics brought up during the readings.

- Part of the audience at our event at the University of Maryland. Anna Vo is in the front left corner and to her left is Melissa Rogers.

- A very happy Sine (right) holds Mimi Thi Nguyens new book The Gift of Freedom: War, Debt, and Other Refugee Passages while standing next to the smiling author (left)

- Digital Cultures & Creativity students and faculty member Jarah Moesch

- An attendee (and evening show volunteer) proudly holds up her autographed Race Riot! tour poster

- Cristy C. Road (left) and Osa Atoe (middle, in yellow shirt) chat with attendees

After our time on campus, we left feeling inspired to find ways to continue to collaborate with folks at the University of Maryland.

On our way to BrickHaus in Baltimore, we ran a few errands. Someone needed a phone charger; someone else needed new socks … so we found a nearby strip mall and handled the biz.

- Anna (l) and Mimi (r) looking cute in the sunshine

- Rock.

We arrived at BrickHaus around 6:45pm and started setting up around 7/7:30pm. Sine helped us make sure that everything ran as smoothly as possible.

People started showing up around 8pm. The venue quickly filled up with a lively mix of local folks, art school students, out-of-towners an adorable toddler and other children.

The Race Riot! readers did multimedia storytelling and a Q&A with the audience between 9pm - 10:30pm. After that, the bands performed.

- Chalk art outside of BrickHaus

These images are not in chrono order - just snapshots of an art, zine and music-filled evening of inspiration and community.

- Inside BrickHaus

Co-Founded in 2011 by two Baltimore-area artists, Ben Graham-Putter and Adam Farkas, BrickHaus Art Space is an organization committed to fostering personal and professional artistic development through the provision of personal studio space, shared technical facilities, gallery space, and a forum for critique and lectures.

- Daniela’s POV as she sets up multimedia elements and fancies her extra long cable

- Attendees at our Bmore show at BrickHaus discuss racism in LGBTQ communities

- Door volunteer Chelsey (left) of Bmore Feminist Reading Group, and Sine (right), our Bmore event organizer and part of MOONROOT Collective

- MOONROOT tabling at BrickHaus

- Attendees at BrickHaus gaze at Osa’s multimedia

- Osa (middle) and Anna (right) tabling with volunteer (far left) at BrickHaus (tell us your name again so we can update!)

- Part of the Race Riot! Mall

- NIKKUU  jewelry was on display and for sale (Daniela and Mimi bought several pieces). NIKKUU is by Melissa Moore, who performed at BrickHaus as part of Secret Secrets.

- More lovely NIKKUU jewelry

- This is Melissa, Nikkuu creator and drummer for Secret Secrets

- Mimi reads at BrickHaus

- Cristy reads at BrickHaus

- Osa reads at BrickHaus

- Mzery Loves Company perform at BrickHaus

- Anna Vo reads at BrickHaus

- Haley, vocals/guitar/keyboard for Blood Horses, strikes a pose at BrickHaus

- Reda and Rafael from Blood Horses rock matching cravats (added with Internet magic)

We don’t have any pics of Secret Secrets (sorry!) but check them out!

- Mimi spreads the love at BrickHaus

- Blood Horses starting trouble

BIG THANK YOU to Melissa Rogers at the University of Maryland and Jarah Moesch from Digital Cultures & Creativity, along with all the students and attendees who made our daytime event in College Park worth the 5 hour drive!

Here’s a complete list of sponsors: 

Women’s Studies, the WMST Multimedia Studio, LGBT Studies, the English Department, the American Studies Department, the Information and Policy Access Center, and Digital Cultures and Creativity. Women’s Studies was in charge of securing all the funds from these sources.

BIG THANK YOU to Sine, the bands and everyone at BrickHaus who helped make our Bmore evening tour date such a success.

We’ll share the Oct 7 Death By Audio tour finale recap tomorrow <3

REMEMBER, Y’ALL:

1) We’re doing a zine about this tour, so if you were part of any of the events, let us know if you want to contribute by emailing daniela@dcapmedia.com.

2) We’re doing a national conference in 2014. 

3) We love you.

ABOUT POC ZINE PROJECT

POC Zine Project’s mission is to make zines by people of color easy to find, distribute and share - community and activism through materiality. We are touring through 12 cities from Sept 24 - Oct 7.

STAY INFORMED

poczineproject.tumblr.com

facebook.com/poczineproject

twitter.com/poczineproject

All tour dates: http://bit.ly/PeEgaR

TOUR RECAPS ARCHIVE

Oct 7: Death By Audio - Brooklyn

Oct 6: University of Maryland + Brickhaus - College Park and Baltimore

Oct 5: St. Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church - Washington, D.C.

Oct 4: University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh

Oct 3: Skylab - Columbus

Oct 2: Rachael’s Cafe - Bloomington

Oct 1: University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign + UCIMC - Champaign

Sept 30: multikulti - Chicago

Sept 29: University of Michigan + 3rd Death Star - Ann Arbor

Sept 28: The Trumbullplex - Detroit

Sept 27: Ohio University + evening potluck with Cindy Crabb - Athens

Sept 26: Mr. Roboto Project - Pittsburgh

Sept 25: The Wooden Shoe - Philly

Sept 24: 538 Johnson - NYC - Brooklyn

Sept 14 - Wellesley College pre-Race Riot! tour panel

All photos by Daniela Capistrano/POC Zine Project unless otherwise noted. Please be sure to credit and link to poczineproject.tumblr.com if you reblog individual pics. Tx! <3

Race Riot! Tour Recap: Washington, D.C.! @ St. Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church on Oct 5, 2012 

Big thanks to Fil (pictured below with Osa) who helped make our show last night at St. Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. such a success! 

- Setting up

- Anna Vo reads

- Osa Atoe reads

- Mimi Thi Nguyen

- Cristy C. Road reads (in part) about her Aunt Ileana. It was her birthday yesterday!

- Tabling before the bands got started

- Lillie (l) and Natalie (r), attendees. It was their first time at the venue!

- Cristy, tabling at the Race Riot! Mall

- Hand Grenade Job performed first, lovely & haunting tunes

- Daniela and her friend Joanna holding Mimi’s Race Riot #1

- Cristy found a wallet twin!

- Osa and Mimi, kewtie kews

- Osa’s mom reading her comp book of all her Shotgun Seamstress zines <3

- Alex from Mary Christ performs

- Daniela and Mimi

- Osa, Alex from Mary Christ and Cristy

- Mary Christ and Hand Grenade Job

After the show, we wandered around D.C. looking for trouble.

- Mimi in the shadows

- Getting libations at Pharmacy (bar)

- Drummer from Mary Christ (right)

- Cristy and Mimi cuddle

This recap post is a little late because we were doing an event at the University of Maryland earlier today. Tonight we have an event in Baltimore at Brickhaus. Please come by and say hello if you’re in the area!

More:

1) We’re doing a zine about this tour, so if you were part of any of the events, let us know if you want to contribute.

2) We’re doing a national conference in 2014.

3) We love you.

ABOUT POC ZINE PROJECT

POC Zine Project’s mission is to make zines by people of color easy to find, distribute and share - community and activism through materiality. We are touring through 12 cities from Sept 24 - Oct 7.

STAY INFORMED

poczineproject.tumblr.com

facebook.com/poczineproject

twitter.com/poczineproject

All tour dates: http://bit.ly/PeEgaR

TOUR RECAPS ARCHIVE

Oct 7: Death By Audio - Brooklyn

Oct 6: University of Maryland + Brickhaus - College Park and Baltimore

Oct 5: St. Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church - Washington, D.C.

Oct 4: University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh

Oct 3: Skylab - Columbus

Oct 2: Rachael’s Cafe - Bloomington

Oct 1: University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign + UCIMC - Champaign

Sept 30: multikulti - Chicago

Sept 29: University of Michigan + 3rd Death Star - Ann Arbor

Sept 28: The Trumbullplex - Detroit

Sept 27: Ohio University + evening potluck with Cindy Crabb - Athens

Sept 26: Mr. Roboto Project - Pittsburgh

Sept 25: The Wooden Shoe - Philly

Sept 24: 538 Johnson - NYC - Brooklyn

Sept 14 - Wellesley College pre-Race Riot! tour panel