The annual Orange County (OC) Zine Festival on September 7 was a sight to behold. Over 80 zinesters showed up to the Anaheim Public Library to share their beautiful zines with the community — and this year was even more special because the festival was celebrating its 10th anniversary. Independent artists, designers, and writers were highlighted at the event which featured panels, workshops, and a food truck with tasty vegan food. The experience was an inspiring display of embracing artwork and sharing knowledge with the public. From championing creativity to the importance of archiving, here are our three biggest takeaways from this year’s Orange County Zine Festival.
Freedom of Creative Expression
Zines are a condensed form of magazines that are self-published works about whatever knowledge the zinesters desire to share. Zines are typically in the form of mini booklets or pamphlets that have a cover and back page that can be illustrated or in written form. The contents and expression of the zines are at the discretion of the zinesters, which makes them easier to produce as opposed to traditional books. Since zines are written/illustrated, edited, and published by the zinester, the medium offers a lot of freedom for creative expression.
At the Orange County Zine Festival, there were various zines sharing knowledge on the history of OC, astrology, queerness, Blackness, and comic illustrations, among other topics. It was inspiring to learn that some zinesters initially didn’t feel adequate to produce zines, but they still chose to trust their knowledge and share it with others. This was an important reminder that there is always an audience out there seeking knowledge or affirmation from another person. Therefore, if you are passionate about something or have considered writing a book but it seems daunting, producing a zine is a great place to start.
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Accessible Community Knowledge
The Orange County Zine Festival was open to all ages in the community who were interested in artistic expression or just seeking new knowledge. Knowledge is power, but it is not always equally accessible to all. People who are educated or identify as academic scholars can sometimes be disconnected from their community when it comes to expressing and sharing their knowledge. In order to educate a community, it is helpful to break down academic content in a way that is easy to digest, especially for people who struggle with learning.
This is why zines are a great form of knowledge production, as complex topics can be summarized in a playful way that makes learning fun. When learning is fun, it encourages others to participate and expand their knowledge about a particular topic. The Orange County Zine Festival was a great way to build a community for zinesters who had the chance to uplift each other’s work and inspire others in the community to learn.
Archiving as Resistance
Another impactful takeaway from The Orange County Zine Festival was the importance of archival work. Archiving is the collection, documentation, and recording of historical information about a group of people or a location, and is a great way to get a snapshot of the past and ensure that your history is not erased. The Black Orange County (OC) Archive was represented at the zine festival and was particularly affirming because there is often a myth that Black people don’t exist in OC. The archive was a reminder of the anti-Black history of OC, which displaced a huge Black population that used to live here. Places like Huntington Beach represent the worst expression of OC, since it normalizes extremist hate through KKK activity. As a result, archiving the lived experiences of Black people in these spaces and sharing them with the public is a form of resistance to potential erasure. Zines can be a great form of archiving because it is a simplified way to record your lived experiences and it allows you to own your library of archives that can be shared with the community.
The Orange County Zine Festival was an impactful reminder that knowledge is power, but that knowledge needs to be accessible. When it comes to community organizing, education is a fundamental aspect of community work, so it needs to be accessible to the most marginalized people. It was also a positive reminder that self-expression is within reach, and you do not have to wait for anyone to validate your work. If you only desire to produce zines for your artistic enjoyment, then there is no pressure to share your work with the public. But if you do decide to share your creations with the world, be sure to check out any zine festivals near you and support your local zinesters.
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