TSGC ZINE #1 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 3 T h e S u n f l o w e r G i r l C o l l e c t i v e
A B O U T
TSGC BOOK CLUB FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH
all about love by bell hooks (essays) gift from virgo by mernine ameris (poetry) a taste of power by elaine brown (nonfiction) the wedding party by jasmine guillory (fiction)
DM DM US US
Sign up for our book club next month for email updates from our newsletter. Let's read more in the New Year.
P A G E
RE RELEASE! RE RELEASE!
This edition will no longer be available on Amazon. Some content will be edited to reflect more of a connection to the theme, former artists published in tthis edition will have to opt in to be published again. The rerelease is scheduled to be released in
We're leaving Amazon behind.
0 6
August 2023
P A G E 0 7 a r t by f a b i o NOMINATED FOR THE NOMINATED FOR THE 2023 2023 MUSICIANSHIP WAMMIEsAWARD MUSICIANSHIP WAMMIEsAWARD TSGC IS UP FOR THE: TSGC IS UP FOR THE: DO GOOD AWARD DO GOOD AWARD MUSIC MEDIA AWARD MUSIC MEDIA AWARD TSGC TSGC VOTEONLINE https://wammiesdc.awardsplatform.com/entry/vote/PWrpvNNW? category=113760
P A G E 0 8 voteforprettybitterintheirfeaturedcategoriesaswell! PRETTY PRETTY PRETTY BITTER BITTER BITTER a r t by f a b i o
W
. . .
E L C O M E T O
editor:MernineAmeris
TABLE OF CONTENTS
These artists are the roots of the Sunflower Girl Collective's Zine Series starting January 17, 2023. Mernine A, Jada F, Carla P, Fabio R, Priya J, Justice Leshare, Emily F, and Jenae B.
originnally published on Facebook, now Meta
TheSunflowerGirl CollectiveFacebook Review#4 byTengTengChin
Iwishyou
lookatmenow. Takeagood,hardlookatmenow. Iwishyoucouldseeme, howmuchI’vematured becausethatgirlyouknewwasjustthat— butshe’sgrowingintoawoman.
Evenintheeyesofhermother, herfather,hergrandparents— theonessheraisesasthesandsoftimeturn tablesagainsther.
could
p o e m by J e n a e P A G E 1 1
Ancestors
Look in the mirror, you are a portal of centuries, a reflection in the water of the multitude of women you will never meet Bones were broken Skin was stretched, torn and pulled, stitched together so much blood had to spill on this earth fallen teeth, hair, and tears there was so much sacrifice, so much pain and carnage and sweat and heartbreak
To bring you to this moment the Aztec said our mothers go to war to bring us in to the physical world, midwives would give war cries upon our first breath.
P A G E 1 2
p o e m by c a r l a p .
collage by Carla P.
"you look like a woman you will never meet"
"my
excerptfrom forthcoming-anodeto thespaceformerly knownas epicurecafe infairfaxcounty,va
small town bar, shudder and say thank you. stack your plates."
1 4
P A G E
bar owners daughter has let her own particular brand of creativity to seep into our community consciousness and create a home there, even in a
P
G E 1 6
A
I wish you could see the part of me that has learned to understand... to make sense of the grey areas of life, and love... The part of me
Whogrewalittlemoreempathy tojudgeyouless and forgive herself more, forboththeirpastmistakes.
Caption: We can have all the materials we need. The most elaborate alter, be devoted to many spirits. But it takes your blood and sacrifice for the ritual to work. be the sacrifice. use your magic within.
art by Jada | @dah treehouse on insta
E 1 7
P A G
art by fabio | @fabio.rvra on insta
“You’re a woman now!” Mother says, on daughter’s first bleed The pain, the nausea, the blood, and the anger mean daughter has become an adult but of course the boys Have years to come But for daughter’s sake, mother smiles heavily and unwraps a pad and tries to explain That blood and pain is normal now and for her own sake, mother tries to believe It’s not an allegory
P A G E 1 8
p o e m by e m i ly
Thank you to the MusicianShip, DC Zinefest, The Legacy the Creatives Club. DCPositiveChalk, Issuu, Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Center, DC Moth StorySlam, The Miracle Theatre, American Poetry Museum & more. It's gonna be a great year.
Thank you to our contributors, our readers, our followers, and my family. I am so glad you ' re here.
Mernine Ameris Head Sunflower Girl author of Gift from Virgo est August 4th, 2018
LetterfromtheEditor
d
t h e e n
