Radical Issue Twelve, May – June 2019
Monthly Affirmation D.I.Y. Therapy: Cultivating Peace in Conflict Honorable Mention: Leanne Betasamosake Simpson Art: Love by Asmaa Jama Poetry:Sprung by Dee Art: Love by Aura Writing: Xicanita Punk by Daisy Salinas Art: Art Therapy by Artist Esmeralda Art: Last Spring’s Lovers! By Wendy and the Void Poetry: IDGAF! By Kelly A. Berry Photography: Self Love by Bex Saunders Photography: Tim Burton + Thomas Kinkade = Natalie Allgyer Art: You Are Revolutionary by Leah Oviedo List of Healing Resources
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A New Affirmation for You! My body is a temple where I manifest my intention every morning. My body is beautiful. My body is worthy of respect and love. I set and enforce boundaries around my body. The shape of my body is my business. I give my body the nutrition it needs.
What is Radical zine? I created this e-zine to spread a message of sustainable self-care and to promote independent artists, writers, and healers, especially those who face oppression and exclusion. I was depressed for seventeen years and now am thriving! Healing my trauma has been an epic journey. I’m still learning, still healing the little things. Along my journey I became invested in grassroots activism. Choosing to love myself unconditionally and heal is the reason I am still alive. Choosing to support others gives me a greater purpose than just my own needs. Peace and hugs, Leah
D.I.Y. Therapy: Cultivating Peace in Conflict One thing that will keep you depressed or feeling apathetic about life is to hold hate and justification in your heart. During my 17 years of depression, I chose to curl up into myself instead of accept that those who had hurt me were also hurting. I blamed others for my problems and saw others as the reason I was miserable. "The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict" by the Arbinger Institute is a beautiful book I read several years ago. It pushed me to rethink how I justify my beliefs and how I react & act toward others with whom I disagree. The themes that really jumped out at me in this book are having a “heart at war versus a heart at peace”, the need to justify our actions, and the mistake of seeing others as objects or obstacles instead of people with differing opinions and values. The part about justification was the biggest issue for me. I constantly justify my actions. Whether it is not offering help to someone or refusing to listen to the other side of an argument, those are the times when I justify myself because after all I am right and they are wrong. I can see why we don’t have peace in a world where everyone is so convinced that they are right so they justify that as a reason to force others to change. But if you are convinced without a shadow of a doubt of your rightness and I am convinced without a shadow of a doubt your wrongness, we have nowhere to go. There is no ground for compromise. We cannot find peace if we cannot even acknowledge that the other persons point of view is as valid as ours. Journal prompts: • How often do I justify my actions by making another person worse than they are? • What justifications do I use to hold war in my heart? • Am I willing to let go of those justifications? • Is it possible that someone I disagree with has a valid reason to feel that way? • If not, why should they respect my right to have a valid reason for what I feel? Check out the Healing Journey podcast on Breaker.com.
Honorable Mention: Leanne Betasamosake Simpson is a scholar, author, musician, and activist. She authored the award winning book, As We Have Always Done about the importance of the current indigenous resistance to embrace “...uniquely Indigenous theorizing, writing, organizing, and thinking“ and release the colonialist narrative which has held power over us ALL for way to long. Leannesimpson.ca Upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/as-we-havealways-done Soundcloud.com/betasamosake Leannesimpson.bandcamp.com
Need more Self-Love??? “The Body Is Not An Apology is an international movement committed to cultivating global Radical Self Love and Body Empowerment. We believe that discrimination, social inequality, and injustice are manifestations of our inability to make peace with the body, our own and others...” Website: https://thebodyisnotanapology.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebodyisnotanapology/
“Love” by Asmaa Jama
Asmaa Jama is a Somali visual artist and poet based in Bristol. Her art has been featured online by Dark Yellow Dot. Her writing has been published in print, in Popshot magazine and the Paper Swans’ Young Poets’ anthology. Her work mainly focuses on her experiences as a third-culture kid in the UK and her identity as a Black Muslim. Instagram: @asmaa_floats
“Sprung� by Dee Spring has sprung and so am I: my soul emerges from the depths of winter-the season chilled me and I insulated through isolation. Ice once filled my bones; it has melted to water the grounds from which new love, new experiences, have grown. Soon summer will arrive, full of yearning, and how I am longing for you. Like a desert traveler wants for an oasis, I desire you, yet you, you are a mirage, a creation in my head that does not stand to quench my thirst as much as I would like to think. These days, these nights, you leave me panting, wanting so much more, trying not to appear desperate when I could drown in you. Dark skies full of stars close in on my imagination:
I dream of you tonight, as always, My dreams are where I can hold you for just a moment– surreal, sublime, serene. For my own sake, I must release what leaves me empty-handed and reach for something real. Dee is a Maryland-based writer, lover of the law, and baker of lemon bars. She only recently began submitting written work, but was published in the inaugural issue of Felize Zine in Fall 2018 (San Antonio) and looks forward to continuing to put her thoughts into words in the future. Follow @deewordswrites on Twitter.
“Love” by Aura
Original Photograph by Jess Laforet @jesslafo @thiswomaniknow Aura is an Onyota'a:ka artist, currently based in Tkaronto. She graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a BFA (Studio Art) and is a DTATI Candidate. Through her art practice, Aura uses mixed media, textiles (sewing and bead work), murals, workshops, art as healing, and digital Illustration to discuss intergenerational healing, lateral love, identity, empowerment, and mothering. She looks to community to collectively explore personal storytelling and truthsharing. Website: www.moniqueaura.com Instagram: @monique.aura
From upper left corner: Gabrielle "Gabby" Douglas, @gabbydouglas, Olympic gold winner Lucille Clifton, @lucille_clifton, literary genius Ruby Dee, playwright, actress & activist (RIP) Angela Davis, college professor & activist Sybrina Fulton, @sybrinafulton anti-gun violence advocate Janelle Monet, @janellemonae, amazing singer, dancer, and queer icon.
“Xicanita Punk” by Daisy Salinas Having had experienced racism growing up in a small white suburb outside of Nashville, I found solace in punk. I had a lot of anger and punk was the healthiest outlet for me to express it. When I was 15, my dad bought me a guitar for my Birthday – my dream was to be a musician. I was really creative – I would play guitar, sing, write poetry, and short stories and make collage art, but I would hardly share my work with anyone. I was taught that to be an artist you had to be special and you had to be chosen. Everything about punk excited me. Not just the aggressive music, mosh pits, mohawks, tattoos, but it's rebellious attitude – it's non-conformist disobedience against authority. I was intrigued by the Nashville punk scene and how bands had created their own DIY independent music culture outside of the mainstream. I also wanted to create my own culture, but saw myself as more of a support role. I had internalized sexism because I did not see myself represented in the rock or punk music world. Most of my favorite musical artists were white men. The top 100 guitarists in Rolling Stone were men with the exception of Joan Jett and a few others. 9/10 shows I went to were all-male bands. I remember going to shows as a teen and the girls in the scene always played “the girlfriend” or a supporting role to the band. We were relegated to the sidelines. At the time, I didn't even question the misogyny in a lot of the music I was listening to or in the overall behavior in the punk scene – it was just normalized..(if you would like to read the rest of my story “Turned Out a Brown Punk: How Punk was my Catalyst to Zines!” (includes photos) that I presented at the Latino Art Now, please consider pledging as little as $1/month and have access to exclusive content with rewards visit https://www.patreon.com/muchachafanzine Daisy Salinas is a Xicana feminist punk zinester (Muchacha Fanzine), musician (Frijolera Riot), activist, curator., and poet (Wake-Up!). She started the quarterly decolonial feminist punk fest "Xingonas in the Pit” with the purpose of promoting punk as an act of resistance and self-sufficiency for people of color. Her goal for the third Xingonas in the Pit: "Black and Brown Punk Fest TX" is to build a safe space for punks of color to reclaim their identities, their art, and their collective liberation.
“Art Therapy” by Artist Esmeralda
Cristina Esmeralda Robles born in 1978, is a Symbolist-Surrealist and raised in San Diego, CA. She currently lives in Imperial Beach, CA and is known as a San Diego local artist for her participation in many art shows. She draws and paints mostly out of self expression. Some types of art she likes to create are; murals, portraits, landscapes, animals, desert art, beach-surf art, abstracts, psychedelic, and self-expression. She is currently working on her 5 th sketchbook. She enjoys taking pictures and takes her camera and sketchbook everywhere she goes. Her hobbies are collecting books, magazines, little junk, pictures, cards, and postcards. She uses them for ideas and references to what she might create in the future. Sdart619.com Facebook.com/ArtistEsmeralda/ Instagram.com/artist_esmeralda Twitter.com/artistesmeralda
“Last Spring’s Lovers!” by wendyandthevoid
Wendy Rodriguez is an artist from the San Fernando Valley. Her work focuses on themes of love, friendship, and hope. Instagram: @wendyandthevoid
“IDGAF!” By Kelly A. Berry I don’t give a fuck whatchu want! I don’t give a fuck whatchu say! I don’t feel loved and I don’t have to live that way! Just because you’rea shit person Just because you’ve never seen love like mine Don’t mean you deserve my hearts fucking time! I don’t care if you suddenly realize I don’t care if you’ve scrutinize………d yourself My love, I feel, you threw up on a high shelf Like you didn’t need it Like it wasn’t the gold fucking bar that it is So I don’t give a fuck whatchu want! I don’t give a fuck whatchu say! I didn’t feel loved and I don’t have to live that way! Kelly A. Berry lives in Chicago with her tuxedo kitty like a good lesbian, and she writes. She writes in rhymes when her emotions overflow from her soul, which is quite frequent. Fascinating though is she never knows what will come out. Kelly just appreciates when a piece of herself written down gets to see the sunlight. She thanks you for reading. Instagram: @Kellyberrychi
“Self Love” by Bex Saunders
Bex Saunders is a multi award winning and internationally published artist from the South of England. She has had success in 67 awards/competitions, which include The Times Photographer of The Year, The Commonwealth Photographer of The Year and the ZSL Photographer of the Year. She specialises in conceptual photography, with an emphasis on portraits. Her Instagram is @bexsaundersphotography.
History is radical! Sofia Mendoza became an activist because of the overt racism toward Mexican-American students at Roosevelt School in San Jose, CA. When the school administration and PTA ignored her, she organized a walk out and assembly that eventually resulted in the firing of the principal, vice principal and 36 teachers! Learn more about Chicana history: http://www.thisbridgecalledcyberspace.net/FILES/3038.pdf
“Tim Burton + Thomas Kinkade = Natalie Allgyer� by Natalie Allgyer
“You know that place where light meets shadow? That’s where you will find me”- me. Natalie Allgyer is a photo artist, with a fiercely creative soul who uses a camera and photoshop to display a wide array of feeling and emotion. She learned her craft on her own and continues to hone it weekly. Born in NJ she and her husband chose Charleston, SC as the place for them to raise their daughter. It was in Charleston that Natalie found her soul, and the creativity began to flow thru the lens of her camera. At one point she decided that reality wasn’t conveying her message as deeply as she felt it so she took to photoshop. That is where the magic began. Natalieallgyer.com Instagram: @natalieallgyer
If you like Radical Zine, check out this FREE E-BOOK! By cultivating radical self-love, you are choosing to believe in the radical idea that you are whole and valuable as you are. Loving your self is one of the bravest things you can do. Featuring work by Michelle Minero, Kiyoshi Shelton, Jaz Gray, Corry Lang, Natalie Small, Rae Lawrence, Jason Freeman, Jasmine Farrell, Anaid Garcia, Donovan Cheney, Vidya, Katrina Mendoza and Leah Oviedo. These amazing people are different genders, skin tones, sexual orientations, abilities, and hold various spiritual beliefs. Yest they all know that self-love is an important aspect of life.. Choose your complimentary e-book format or PDF on Patreon.com/Loviedo.
“You Are Revolutionary� by Leah Oviedo
Leah Oviedo was raised in a mashup of cultures between her mothers Midwestern German/Miscellaneous roots and her fathers Californian MexicanAmerican immigration, roving around various regions. This pushed her to have an intersectional interest in art, writing, and activism. After suffering from depression for 17 years, she was inspired to heal her trauma with art therapy. Her current focus is connecting with nature, smashing the patriarchy, and eradicating colonialism through self-care and radical ideas with the help of a diverse group of creators sharing their stories and their magic. Instagram: Instagram.com/impoweryou or ImpowerYou.org
Healing Resources Nationwide Suicide Prevention crisis line: 1-800-273-8255. Don’t want to call? Use a text help line. Text 741741 anywhere in the USA for a live trained counselor. The Trevor Project – Suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth, 1-866-488-7386 or TheTrevorHelpline.org There are apps that support mental health. The My3App connects someone who is feeling suicidal with their three main support contacts. My3app.org Mental Health America offers free mental health first aid training, Mentalhealthamerica.net NAMI – Alliance of mental illness has a program called Peer to Peer, similar to Big Brother/Big Sister, which is a way to socialize and give support for those who are feeling isolated. Nami.org DBSA– Depression, Bipolar, Anxiety. Dbsalliance.org Survivors of Suicide Loss. SOSLSD.org The Love Warrior Community focuses on helping people work on self-love and body acceptance. Lovewarriorcommunity.com
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