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Zinester Profile: Jenna Freedman & Barnard College

Today’s post is a double feature, profiling both NYC-based zinester Jenna Freedman and the Barnard Zine Library, an amazing collection which she has been managing for years.

Barnard Zine Library stacks
Barnard Zine Library stacks

About Jenna:

Jenna Freedman has been making her annual zine, Lower East Side Librarian Winter Solstice Shout Out, since 2001 and began including a reading log in 2002. She has also made a few one-off zines, including a zine chronicling a 9-city tour she did this summer with three other librarian zinesters. By day she runs the Barnard Librarian Zine Collection and is also Director of Research & Instruction Services at Barnard. Another of her endeavors is Radical Reference, a group of library workers that see to the need of activists and independent journalists and establishes local collectives that serve as affinity groups for like-minded librarians.

Here’s one of Jenna’s most recent zines being enjoyed by a cute feline friend:

Lower East Side Librarian Special Zine Tour Edition

If you’ve never been to the Barnard Zine Library you should absolutely make it a point to visit. Jenna wrote the following blurb to describe the parameters of the collection:

Barnard’s zines are written by women (cis- and transgender) with an emphasis on zines by women of color. We collect zines on feminism and femme identity by people of all genders. The zines are personal and political publications on activism, anarchism, body image, third wave feminism, gender, parenting, queer community, riot grrrl, sexual assault, trans experience, and other topics.

The Barnard Zine Library even publishes its own zine!

Sticks & Stones zine

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Zinester Profile: K Funk

And now for another zinester – – K Funk!

K makes comics – queer, radical, political comics that cover everything from Dan Savage to”patriarchal ownership blood diamonds” and manarchists. His funny, appealing work puts a great spin on many popular topics – plus, it’s always awesome when you’re reading along, and suddenly “a wild radical feminist” appears in the next panel. Check out the samples of their work below…

Info:

website: kfffunk.tumblr.com
contact: kfunkcomics@gmail.com

Who is K Funk?

In his own words: K Funk is a writer who draws, currently surviving his last year of undergrad. He majored in being unemployed and living in his parents house in New Jersey. Inspired by his gender studies degree and his life as a big queer, he writes and illustrates autobiographical comic books and absurd cartoons about queer politics and feminist theory. He is particularly interested in critiques of mainstream “gay and lesbian” politics, and is inspired by a broader pursuit of social equality that includes racial and economic justice. Not only has he used comics in academic and political pursuits, he also runs a website and pens a zine under the name “Loud & Queer.” K tells bad jokes and plays drums in Shady Hawkins.

And another comic – –

Zinester Profile: Rachel + Sari of Hoax Zine

Introducing, the folks from Hoax Zine!

Hoax Zine is a collaborative zine, and sometimes gets up to 76 pages (wow)!
This is a nice hefty zine, with a lot of dense and awesome writing/nonfiction/art by a wide variety of people.

In their own words, and with a call for submissions:

About Hoax Zine:
Hoax Zine is a feminist & queer collaborative zine attempting to find the connections between us despite our differences. Thus far, we have completed six issues on the topics of relationships, health, history, community, and communication. We are currently taking submissions for hoax #7 – feminisms and change. Feminists of all backgrounds and genders are encouraged to submit! Email us – hoaxzine (at) gmail (dot) com!

About the Editors:

sari is a 24 year old pennsylvania native tryna make ends meet in baltimore. their other main zine endeavor is the perzine you’ve got a friend in pennsylvania. they are currently writing several zines simultaneously, with topics such as depression & suicide, growing up, one’s relationship to femininity & masculinity as a non-binary trans* person,
dating straight-identified men while identifying as queer, challenging the oppressive dynamics of punk, and a queer feminist harry potter fan fic centered around hermione granger. they think they wanna be yer best friend (and pen pal), yeah.

rachel is a 24 year old feminist zinester with roots in new york city and baltimore, maryland. she co-edits hoax & has additionally written two perzines – “a tale of two cities: baltimore vs. nyc” (a zine about growing up in the big apple & integrating oneself into a new community) and “reimagining queer community” (a personal investigation into an evolving relationship to a queer identity and creative participation in queer spaces). rachel is stoked to be premiering her newest zine “stuff ‘progressive’ kids don’t want to hear: a journal of unpopular opinions,” a collaboration with jamie varriale velez, at nyc feminist zinefest. she loves making new feminist friends and cannot wait to meet y’all in february!

Zinester Profile: Midge

NYC Feminist Zinefest is delighted to introduce Midge, creator of the zines LOUDMOUTH, Furr, and Riot Grrrl Revival. A recent art school graduate, Midge has a really cool Etsy store where you can check out her zines, prints, buttons, and other goodies!

Here’s an except from one of Midge’s zines:

Who is Midge? In her own words:

I’m a feminist artist/recent graphic design graduate/crafter! I make my feminist art almost solely to put in my zines. I love to make quirky drawings and collages with strong messages behind them, because of love the juxtaposition of the two. I currently live in long island, and if I’m not making zines I can guarantee I’m making another craft of some sort, using my endless abyss of ideas, while staying highly caffeinated.

Zinester Profile: Sarah Rose

Presenting another great zinester, Sarah Rose!

Author of the perzine “Tazewell’s Favorite Eccentric,” Rose co-organized the recent Philly Zinefest, and is also starting up a brand new distro: Once Upon a Distro

Rose is a recent transplant to Philly from the wilds of rural southwestern Virginia. She’s been writing and reading zines for over half of her life, and credits them for her interest in feminism, queer studies, and the power of the small press to empower marginalized and underrepresented people.

Here’s another sample of her work:

Zinester Profile: Amber Forrester

We’ll be using this site to profile some of the creative wonders who are tabling at the NYC Feminist Zinefest in February.

Check back for more info on your favorite artists, and more!

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Who is Amber Forrester ?

Amber Forrester is a queer feminist living in Montréal, Québec. She’s been making zines for nearly a decade – including perzine Culture Slut, compilation zine Fight Boredom and a new year-long project titled Pizza Date. The most recent issue of Culture Slut is about heartbreak, Patti Smith, quitting drinking, participating in research studies for cash and an obsession with knuckle tattoos.

About Fight Boredom Distro:
Fight Boredom Distro focuses on queer zines, feminist zines, perzines, travel journals, sex work tales, diary comics, cookzines and mental health zines full of secrets and adventures and righteous anger and total sassiness. Read ’em and then yell yr own story.
www.fight-boredom.com.

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays, fellow zinesters and aficionados 🙂

As we move into this chillier season, we also move closer to… the NYC Feminist Zinefest!

This season is perfect time for zine-making, art, and crafting… snuggling up in bed with a good book, hot tea, and a new journal or sketchbook, are things that make for a memorable winter day.

So stay warm, and check this page for more info about our awesome zinesters coming soon (!)

NYC Feminist Zinefest Kickstarter!

Hi friends in feminist zinery! We’re delighted to announce that we have just launched a Kickstarter site to begin raising money to fund the zinefest. Specifically, we need to raise $300 to pay for our event rental, the Brooklyn Commons. We really appreciate your support in this endeavor- thanks for your solidarity. Here’s our promotional video!

Welcome!

The NYC Feminist Zinefest is being held on February 25, 2012 !

Why a feminist zinefest, you say?

Following a year marked by brutal sexual assaults by local police officers and foreign dignitaries alike, the idea of a feminist zinefest resonates strongly for us in 2012. We’d like to showcase the work of artists and zinesters who proudly identify as feminists, and whose politics are reflected in their work.

And also, zines have a special place in our hearts.
There’s just something about the immediacy and expressiveness of a little printed booklet, smudged with printer’s ink or photocopy errors. It’s like a small, pocket-sized emissary of ideas, one who will eagerly come with you on a long train or bus ride, and share its hidden tales.

Currently we’re seeking feminist zinesters to table at the event- $5 gets you a 4′ table space to cover with zines and art. We welcome folks of all genders, races, class backgrounds, and abilities.

Contact us at feministzinefestnyc@gmail.com for more information!