I N E Z I N E Z I N E Z I N E
AUG 2021 ISSUE 01
COVER ART: Mary S – @tresmarias.art / Black and white main image by
Andrea A — @andreafotografie_
EDITOR: Amy Phillips MANIFESTO DESIGN: Eloise Leigh LOGO & QUOTE DESIGN: It’s Brogues ZINE DESIGNERS: Alba Agoiz, Chelsea Herbert, Eloise Leigh ZINE ILLUSTRATIONS: Alba Agoiz PHOTOGRAPHY: Vera Landmann SPECIAL THANKS: Louise Liu, Dorsa Ahari & Berlin Collage Club
WELC
RRL GAN
E TO G M O
This project has been so many things in my head. So many forms and sketches and ideas. But when I got to the root of why I wanted to do this, it was simple, and (harder to admit) pretty selfish. I needed a grrl gang. I wanted an excuse to connect and reach out, and share my truth, and ask others those questions I was afraid to ask and feel less lonely and get help and feel supported and share advice with. I wanted to feel seen and part of something secret and special and new and inspiring and mine. But I
ERL G B IN
was too afraid to lead it. Too afraid to
When we look back on our stories in years to come, we will be able to remember what we built together, how we embraced the spirit community over competition, and how we lifted each other up in both the darkest times and the light.
mess up, to get called out, to embarrass myself, or to accidentally offend. Paralysed by the feeling that it had to be perfect. Until now . . . I’m now on a not-so-secret mission to connect and grow that inspiring community even further (explore this Zine to find out more!) We’re on our way to building a new community of kick-ass inspiring grrls who are hellbent on fiercely protecting, loving and uplifting one another here in Berlin. Many of us already belong to many other inspiring and creative local communities, and some only just arrived. Whether you’ve been here in B for 20 years, or 20 minutes, we can’t wait to meet you! Let’s connect, take care of each other, and keep on doing the work that will probably never be done. This is our gang. Make it yours. Much Love,
AMY, GRRL GANG BERLIN FOUNDER
Thanks to our members Chelsea and Alba for their time spent creating this Zine with us! Check out and support their work!
ALBA.RIKOKE
Graphic Designer, Tattoo Artist, Illustrator, Digital Creator.
@alba.rikoke
Grrl Gang Berlin was founded as a storytelling project with the aim of immortalising the community who held me, helped me and saved me in so many small and big ways over my last decade spent here.
WANNA BE IN OUR GANG?
Starting with my idea to interview 20 of my closest friends who helped me through we’re now well on our way to being a 1000 member strong community that’s connecting in meaningful ways and taking care of each other everyday. We are a community of kick-ass grrls who gave our hearts away to Berlin a long time ago. We’ve all been on our own unique paths to somehow find our way to each other. This project was born out of a desire to uplift and inspire ourselves, and others who are building their lives in this weird and wonderful town we now call home. When you sign up for Grrl Gang Berlin, you’ll be invited to our private online network where we’ll help to connect you with new friends, share tips and advice and you’ll become part of our growing support network for kick-ass Berlin grrls. There’s a myth sold to us that we are inherently in competition with one another. We believe that magical things happen when we support, uplift and create together. Connect and share opportunities and help each other instead of wasting time tearing each other down. Let’s start building amazing
QUOTE DESIGN: IT’S BROGUES GRAPHIC DESIGN
things together and destroy that myth for good. Here are just a few ways to get involved with our community>>
READ OUR STORIES
JOIN OUR EVENTS
We publish new stories from
Come along and introduce
our community on our website
yourself at one of our
every week. Get to know
upcoming events. We post
Berlin through our eyes and
listings on our website every
learn about our experiences.
week. We’re looking forward to meeting you there soon.
CONNECT ON INSTA
JOIN OUR GANG
Follow us on Instagram for
Want to get more involved,
daily inspiration from our
bring projects to life with
community. Be sure to drop
us and make friends? Sign up
us a DM and say hello if
for our members area and hang
you do!
out with us on the daily via Discord.
PHOTOGRAPHY: VERA LANDMANN
ING- INTR DUC OD O R
NG
- INTRODU ING CI C U
GRRL GANG CLUBS When we were younger it was totally normal to join a club, as a way to make friends and connect over our passions, but this ritual disappears when we get to adulthood.
BOOK CLUB DANCE CLUB LANGUAGE CLUB GAMING CLUB QUEER IN BERLIN CLUB WITCHERY & TAROT CLUB CREATIVE WRITING CLUB TEXTILE CRAFTS CLUB PARENTS CONNECT CLUB MINDFULNESS CLUB TATTOO LOVERS CLUB SKATE CLUB MUSIC LOVERS CLUB
Grrl gang clubs are regular hangouts, events, and a new way to make friends over every hobby we can dream up from skateboarding to crochet, tarot to karaoke, and everything in-between. You can join one, or many clubs, and there’ll be no limit to the number of clubs we can create together. Here are the clubs we currently run within grrl gang berlin. Visit grrlgangberlin.com/clubs to find out more and get involved!
FILM CLUB OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES CLUB EMPOWERING SPORTS CLUB CYCLING CLUB RUNNING CLUB CREATIVE CLUB COOKING CLUB COFFEE LOVERS CLUB ...AND MORE!! PHOTO BY LUCIE @BLUE_ONAIR
INT
LET’S MAKE A ZINE
We teamed up with Berlin Collage Club for two workshops inviting our members to create their own one of a kind collages and dug into the history of zines with graphic designer Eloise Leigh of New Age Rage. Our Zine is inspired by the 1990s riot grrrl movement that emerged from the DIY punk subculture in tandem with the era of third-wave feminism.
Culturally and historically,
grrl gang manifesto and shares
zines have served as a powerful
our vision with the world in a
outlet for content considered to
tangible format. We invited our
be too niche, risqué, or outside
members to think about why — now
of the commercial, profit-driven
more than ever in these pandemic
mainstream. They provide a safe,
times — being part of a grrl gang
independent platform of expression
and a community feels especially
especially for underrepresented
important for them. To make a
and marginalized voices: Black,
visualization or moodboard for
Indigenous & People of Color,
these feelings/thoughts or a
women, young people, people
political or social cause around
with disabilities, the LGBTQIA+
the theme. And to think about
community, persecuted religious
why community over competition
groups, and people with limited
is important, how community
economic resources. As feminist
combats urban loneliness, and
documents, they follow a longer
their inspirations and motivations
legacy of feminist and women’s
for being part of a gang as well
self-publication allowing women
as some of their hopes and dreams
to circulate ideas that would not
for the future of the project.
otherwise be published. We wanted to pay homage to this long history of Zine making with our own creation for Grrl Gang Berlin. Our Zine presents our
DAIANA P — @BERLIN.RECYCLE.BIN
GIULIA C — @QUEENMICISSS
JOYCE Z — @JOYCEFYZ
LANA D — @DIGITAL_LANA
ALBA A — @ALBA.RIKOKE
HEATHER R — @HEATH_LR
SIAN G — @SIANGLAES
DORSA A — @DORSA.AHARI
LANA S — @VEGGIE_OXBLOOD
MARY S – @TRESMARIAS.ART
SHARAN B — @SHARANB_
STEPHANIE T — @STEPHANIE_TARALSON
YESSICA K — @YESSICAKLEIN
STEFFI A — @ANTIMUSE
PAULA F — @CHEZ.PAULETTE
YESSICA K — @YESSICAKLEIN
DORSA A — @DORSA.AHARI
CARLA G — @CARLAGIUSEPPINA
MARINA A — @JOUER_A_LA_MARELLE
We want to thank everyone who was involved in creating this Zine and for sharing their creativity, time and energy with us. We’re so super stoked about everything created here.
DORSA A — @DORSA.AHARI Both collages are inspired by Grrl Gang Berlin; her manifesto and values.
LANA S — @VEGGIE_OXBLOOD I wanted to draw attention to the often
DAIANA P — @BERLIN.RECYCLE.BIN Third eye of the algorithm: There is no algorithm for creativity. Women empowering women brings the best creativity.
GIULIA C — @QUEENMICISSS My collage takes inspiration from
CONTRIBUTIONS
the Strength tarot card in the Major Arcana. Its meaning is about inner strength, a quality that helps us endure when times are tough. For many of us women, life often comes with challenges and my hope is that we can overcome them with our inner strength and with the power to fight what comes in our way.
JOYCE Z — @JOYCEFYZ LANA D — @DIGITAL_LANA When I was browsing through different newspapers during the Grrlgang zine workshop, I came across so many negative news and words and especially the degrading phrases describing females stood out to me. With the collage I wanted to express that females should not feel framed by other peoples negative or oppressive comments and instead, listen to their own instincts in order to grow.
ALBA A — @ALBA.RIKOKE For me it has been very difficult to find myself, I still keep doing it every day. No one ever told me as a child the importance of taking care of your own mental health and now it’s an important part of my life. I remember myself as different persons through the years and I wanted to portrait this a little bit in this collage.
HEATHER R — @HEATH_LR SIAN G — @SIANGLAES
neglected issue of anti-fat bias in our society (including its more progressive circles). Riots, not diets!
MARY S — @TRESMARIAS.ART Black and white main image by Andrea A — @andreafotografie_ I am inspired by feminism and women who are not afraid to claim their rights. In Chile (my country of origin) women and feminist groups come out in great numbers, not only on March 8, but also during the numerous protests that have taken place since 2019 in search of a profound change in the country. I selected images of those moments, groups that protest singing and dancing, young people who acquired clothing that symbolizes this struggle, and also grandmothers who dared to take to the streets. They are accompanied by creeping flowers that grow like a great web and ants, a worker insect that is always present and has a matriarchal organization. The whole is a wave that grows like a great explosion of liberation that overturns all norms. This collage is a tribute to women who fight and a reminder that feminism is not a *fad (not sure if this word is correct, or maybe trend), it is a social and political movement that grows stronger every day.
SHARAN B — @SHARANB_ A Political Paradise: Badass females worldwide have contributed to or created revolutions since the beginning of time. Mai Bhago will make you feel the fire of how revolutionary you can truly be.
STEPHANIE T — @STEPHANIE_TARALSON It’s so beautiful to see how we’re building a true community with the grrl gang: forming bonds, creating shared meaning, and caring for each other. We’re a collection of individuals but
there’s space for everyone to belong.
or fuckable, but because I’m smart and kick-ass
I’m dazzled by the folks in our gang.
and strong, and in all of that: a woman.
YESSICA K — @YESSICAKLEIN
MARINA A — @JOUER_A_LA_MARELLE
STEFFI A — @ANTIMUSE As for the artwork & Grrl Gang I‘d like to make the following statement: Grrl Gang is a nonjudgmental place, a construct build of solidarity, it’s the fertile soil in which we are planted to grow together.
PAULA F — @CHEZ.PAULETTE Wings represent my wish to all Grrls to be free. Discover who we are, do what we want, and fly high wherever we want.
CARLA G — @CARLAGIUSEPPINA The googly-eyed Jesus: Women are being watched. Rated. Stared at. Judged. Recognized for their ability to be fucked. Ignored for too many other things. Even by googly-eyed Jesus, who is supposed to love all humans equally. In the end, he is a man. Being in a Grrl gang makes me feel appreciated, not because I’m young or beautiful
I am a queer artist with Russian roots. As a member of a grrl gang I enjoy new friendships and having fun with other grrls, but I see us as a political gang as well. That’s why I reflected in my collages about Pussy Riot, another grrl gang fighting for human rights in Russia. I think That the pure fact that the grrl gang unites so many different and wonderful womxn is already a RIOT. Together as a sisterhood, without concurrence, we are fighting the patriarchy with our spirit and presence.
W - INTERVIEW VIE R E
W VIE
VIEW - INT TER ER N I -
THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS
INT
I wanted to just take a moment for this beautiful logo for @grrlgangberlin created by designer and illustrator @itsbrogues. Brogues was one of the first grrls I met who was working in the same industry as me back when she lived in Berlin. She always made me feel so heard and would share her ideas and experiences with me when I was getting started in my new role. This spirit of collaboration really helped me in a time where I felt totally overwhelmed at work and so she was the only person I could imagine to create the logo for a project all about community over competition. Here’s a bit more from her about her creative process whilst designing our logo.
WHY DID THE IDEA OF GRRL GANG SPEAK TO YOU?
HOW DID YOU COME TO THE FINAL DESIGN AND WHAT DOES IT REPRESENT FOR YOU?
I liked that Grrl Gang wasn’t going
After experimenting with different
to be a bubble gum pink, exclusive,
hand poses and shapes, I settled on a
cliquey kind of community; it felt
yin and yang-inspired positioning, as
like quite the opposite. The fact that
I felt it captured the interconnected
it facilitates human connections and
and interrelated – yet distinct –
centres around multifaceted individuals
individuals that together form a
telling their own stories, rather than
balanced whole. The open hands reflect
having their stories told for them,
the gang’s openness and welcoming
also spoke to me hugely. With Amy
spirit. To capture the magical element,
cultivating it, I also knew how much
I added a couple of simple sparkles
care, consciousness and consideration
between the hands, to signify how that
would go into creating a safe,
magic is created. I wrote out the
collaborative and inclusive community
text in a freestyle and instinctive
that’s receptive to ideas and growth.
way, incorporating arrows on the “G” to represent the idea of rising
WHAT IDEAS DID YOU HAVE IN MIND WHEN YOU STARTED TO THINK ABOUT THE LOGO DESIGN? Straight away, I was drawn to using hands as the main motif. For me, they represent tactility, care and a feeling of humanness (central facets of a friendly and loving community). I was also conscious not to overly “feminise” the hands, because Grrl Gang is quite rightly a place where so many identities are welcome – and I was keen for the logo to reflect those inclusive values. I then started playing with different ways I could visualise the hands connecting, to represent the warmth and connection within the community – at first I thought thread could be a nice way to join them together. There was also a coven-like, magical element to Grrl Gang that I wanted to incorporate, so I started doodling symbols that could subtly weave that in too.
together and dotting the “i” to signal a touch of rebelliousness. I wanted to place the words in a way that leads the eye to create a circular shape, since circles are so synonymous with wholeness, unity and healing. My idea was that the typography should feel quite raw and human, but also intentional and cohesive.
WHO INSPIRES YOU IN YOUR CREATIVITY? There isn’t one individual who inspires me in my own creativity. It’s a combination of different friends and family members who are all so creative in their own ways, and also the children I have in my life: they’re so free, playful and unselfconscious in the way they express themselves. I love seeing the joy they get out of creating for creating’s sake, rather than forcing an outcome or being “good” at it – they remind me not to overthink it too much and just let it flow without judgement.
E - WELCOM COM E L E
ME
JOIN THE GANG
W
“GRRL
Last month we welcomed our 1000th member! Here are just some of the reasons our members shared with us why joining grrl gang was important for them. Maybe these thoughts resonate with you too?
GANG BERLIN is offering up a safe
space where I can learn more about myself and just enjoy being queer with other people like me and it’s an opportunity I don’t intend to take for granted.”
“I’D LOVE TO HAVE A GROUP OF FRIENDS, THE ONES I CAN TRUST, FEEL SUPPORTED AND HAVE NICE TIMES WITH RESPECT AND TOLERANCE FOR THE THINGS OTHER PEOPLE LIKE.”
life with us and make new friends? Scan the code to learn more about our signing up to join
routines and I want to break that by meeting amazing new people with whom I can hopefully share passions and creative stuff. Also have long hours of discussion on how to reshape the world.”
“I’VE
BEEN HERE for 9 years and I’ve
seen a lot of people come and go. These crazy times made an introspective person
“I’VE
miss being VERY social and have people
LIVED IN BERLIN for
to do stuff with.”
9 years and lots of my lovely friends have left over that time, so I’d love to make some new friendships with likeminded people.”
“I’M
A STORYTELLER and moved
to Berlin just before the pandemic. This group feels like a lot of amazing people and am working on a project called “Fairy tales I wish I grew up on” that
“HAVING RECENTLY MOVED TO THE CITY, I’M LOOKING FOR LIKEMINDED PEOPLE WITH WHOM TO CONNECT, SHARE IDEAS, BOND AND HAVE FUN. I LOVE THE RANGE OF CLUBS ON OFFER, AND I LOVE GRRL GANG’S INCLUSIVE AND INTERSECTIONAL VIBE.”
and how they win life.”
involved with our bring projects to
FEEL LIKE I’m at this point
in life where you get stuck into
focuses on stories of real people,
Want to get more growing grrl gang,
“I
“I LONG FOR A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN MUTUAL SUPPORT! I THINK THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BRING TO THIS WORLD THEIR OWN UNIQUE GIFTS BUT DOING THAT ON YOUR OWN CAN BE SCARY, HARD AND FRUSTRATING...IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT SORT OF PEOPLE AROUND YOU, IT’S MUCH EASIER.”
OME - WEL ELC CO W -
“AS
“I
A BABY BERLINER, I don’t have many
friends here & it’s super hard to meet
living here for 4 years already and am
people now with the pandemic so I’d love to connect with new people and learn some skills — online or off.”
our community and our members area.
www.grrlgangberlin.com/join
“I
WANT TO JOIN Grrl Gang Berlin,
because I want to connect with other people that share similar interests. Especially in this pandemic, I think that getting in touch with other like minded humans is very important.”
WOULD JUST LOVE to connect with
more cool people in Berlin. I have been so grateful for the friends I have made
“I’M ALL FOR CREATING MEANINGFUL CREATIVE CONNECTIONS WITH AMAZING HUMANS AND I ALSO LOVE SISTERHOOD. LET’S MOTIVATE AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER, ALWAYS.”
in these years here and there, but I would love to be part of one group that shares a lot of experiences together and joins forces to come up with exciting stuff!”
“I
WANT TO CONNECT with more
FLINTA* people in Berlin and nurture personal and creative growth together.”
WANNA GRAB A TOTE?
BLACK INK CUSTOM SCREEN PRINTING WITH LÖVE, STRAIGHT FROM BERLIN.
www.blackinkpress.net
WWW.BLACKINKPRESS.NET
We have a limited edition run available to celebrate the launch of our first Zine and we’re giving away 3 Tote Bags! To enter simply email: grrlgangberlin@ gmail.com with the subject line “Zine Giveaway” and tell us why you’d like to win to be in with the chance of bagging yourself one.
Winners will be chosen at random and announced via our Instagram page on 28.09. Good luck! Thanks to our friends at Black Ink for the awesome service even during lockdown. Support your local screen printers always!
grrlgangberlin.com