Short Summary
A zine is a self-published, independent magazine that works to make a statement that may not have room to be spoken in mainstream media.
For my senior thesis I am designing and publishing a zine I am calling Poiema. When translated from Greek it means, "poems of God," which justifies that every life lived is meaningful regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or any other factor used to define people. This project will give a space to past and present members of Gordon College, as well as individuals from the surrounding community, who have been affect by the school's actions to share their emotions and thoughts around the ethos of the campus.
Once the draft has been finalized I want to print and distribute as many copies as possible across campus and the local community to circulate the voices that have been unheard for too long. I hope that this zine and be a great leap forward in the changes that need to come.
The Impact
If you haven't heard of Gordon College we are a small, Christian, liberal arts college in Massachusetts. Over the past year, topics of the institutions practices and procedures towards practicing same-sex students have come under fire due to those who see a discriminatory nature within it.
The reason why I use President Lindsay's picture in the advertising is because he has become the image of Gordon College. This is not to defame him, or to try and target him with the art pieces.
As a cis-gendered gay male who plans on getting married one day, I have been at the front of the fight to change the procedural statements of the college. After participating in multiple conversations I have seen the lack of progress and, in my opinion, an unfair power dynamic. There are voices that are going unheard and this zine will bring them to light through literature, art, photography, and any other medium we can think of.
What We Need & What You Get
The project total is $1,550. A portion of this will go towards paying for an art show that will showcase all of these pieces for three days, in order to allow the surrounding community to absorb as much of the voice as possible. The venue will cost $150, due to the charity of a local group, and the entire event will be another $500. The rest of the total will go towards paying for printing costs. The goal is to publish as many copies as possibly so they can be widely distributed across campus and throughout the local community.
All work is being submitted voluntarily with no compensation requested. Artists are briefed on the content of the zine before submitting their work so they can decide whether or not it is something that they want to get involved in.
For everyone that donates the team is going to come up with some solid gifts to give back. Anything from a copy of the zine with a personalized thank you, to a t-shirt with the cover of the issue.
Risks & Challenges
This entire project is a risk. My school has attempted to curve the dialogues regarding sexuality, so what we are attempting to do is bring in the unspoken side of the conversation. However, by printing this zine I can leave knowing that our side of the conversation is no longer being silenced.
As of right now the team consists of just myself. I hope that the team will grow as I gather writers, designers and other artists, but until then it is up to me to get this work done. Slowly more members will join, and possibly this group may go on to produce more issues in the future.
Other Ways You Can Help
I'm in college, so I understand what it means to not have the money to donate to everything. If you can't contribute please consider sharing this project with friends and family, or anyone you know!
If you want to go the extra mile please consider emailing about your thoughts on the lack of representation for all minorities on this campus. You can email our president, Michael Lindsay, at Michael.Lindsay@gordon.edu, or our Vice President of Student Life, Jennifer Jukanovich, at Jennifer.Jukanovich@gordon.edu.