The Festival
KC Zine Con #5
Saturday, August 31st, 2019 at Pierson Auditorium on UMKC Campus • 11am – 6pm
It’s our FIFTH BIRTHDAY and we’re so excited that you’ll be celebrating it with us—we expect this year’s festival to be the biggest, brightest, and most fun KCZC yet! At KCZC, zinesters exhibit, sell, and trade their independently published zines, comix, books, newspapers, anthologies, tracts, pamphlets, and DIY radical readables of many forms. Anyone can come and wander the tables, chat with the incredible artists, make a whole host of new friends, and get tons of zines!
How to get to KC Zine Con
Featured Tablers
Shawnee Mission East Zine Club The Shawnee Mission East Zine Club is a group of students at Shawnee Mission East that ranges across all grades and consists of students with differing experiences with gender identity, sexuality, and artistic passion, with an overall love for zines and handcrafted items. We asked Club co-president, August Hyde what zine he is most excited to share with conference goers: “We’re excited to share all of our zines, but most of all the zines of our new members that are going to be joining us in the coming weeks! One in particular that I’m a big fan of made by one of our members is Bag Of Bones- a surrealist description of how a character would like for their body to be kept after her death. It’s written and illustrated by Sydni William, our co-president.”
synthia isah synthia (syn) isah was born in Lagos, Nigeria and raised on the east side of Kansas City, MO. They are a painter, a craftsperson and an avid reader of visionary fiction, poetry and news. Through their work they aim to explore the thickness of the present and increase the entropies of possibility and change through storytelling.
PleaseSendWord PleaseSendWord compiles radical body autonomy, consent culture, sex positive, informational zines. We asked creator Amanda Lee what she was most excited about sharing with conference goers: “The zine I’m most excited to share with y’all is the updated edition of A RADICAL GUIDE TO VAGINAL HEALTH AND SELF CARE. What you will find inside these pages is an exceptionally gender inclusive invitation to listen, explore and develop an intimate relationship with yourself and your body. What I offer to my community though this is the hope that you might feel more emboldened to *t a k e c a r e* in a way that feels right for you, because you remain the expert on your body experience. this is mutual aid. this is reproductive justice. some of you folks and fans may have already seen this work, found a copy at a distro or may even have a copy on your own shelf! heck yeah! This is not new information and I believe that this offering remains relevant! I’m excited to get to know you at Zine Con #5, lets chat about how the patriarchy sucks and what we are doing about it! Love and Solidarity, Bread and Roses to you all”
RadicallyHere KC RadicallyHere is an effort on the part of several editors and contributors to write content encouraging community political engagement. They are most excited to share the new edition of their first zine, “Our City: A Brief Survey and How-To.”
MOON EATERS Collective MOON EATERS Collective was created in 2018 as a platform for queer Asian American narratives. MOON EATERS collaborates with artists and community organizations to make self-published anthologies, highlight queer Asian American experiences, and uses collective storytelling to imagine a more inclusive society. They are most excited to share the third issue of their zine, titled transitions, with conference goers.
List of Exhibitors
Click here to view a list of all the exhibitors
Click here to download a table map
Keynote Speaker Jay-Marie Hill
This year we are excited to kick off the fest with a keynote speech from Jay-Marie Hill about trans allyship. They will share some words on how we can build the world we deserve, even when it seems like every institution we turn to for help is committed to operating with unchecked power.
The keynote speech will begin at 11:15 am and be followed by a brief Q & A in one of our workshop rooms. As part of the talk, free zines on trans allyship will be distributed while supplies last.
Jay-Marie Hill is the Transgender Education and Advocacy Program Coordinator with the Missouri ACLU.
Workshop Schedule & Descriptions
11 AM – 12 PM
Intro to Zines: Youth Edition
with Abigail Walden
During this workshop, youth will learn all about zines and dive into the zine making process. They will leave the workshop with their very own zine to share with others. A copy machine will be on site to make limited copies. Afterwards, youth are encouraged to visit the exhibit hall to trade newly created mini zines with others.
Our youth zine workshops are high in-demand, but as a volunteer-run organization, we’re limited in the number of youth workshops we can offer throughout the year. This is where you come in! At this workshop, you’ll get to experience one of our workshops for kids, with kids, and we’ll provide some take-home resources to help you with leading youth workshops on your own.
Workshop requirements: Ages 8 and up, all kids under 12 need to be accompanied by an adult. Parents and caretakers can be a huge help in directing their kiddo’s zine-making and helping them make creative decisions, especially for younger kids.
Abigail has experience in writing programming for her orchestra’s educational outreach committee, and they work at Girl Scouts as a Troop Experience Manager, providing programming support for troop leaders. You might have seen her at last year’s zines with kids workshop, while she was employed at Wonderscope Children’s Museum. She introduced Zine-making in her role as a Program Specialist at the museum, and she left behind curriculum and information for other Program Specialists after her to be able to lead the workshops. Now, Abigail is thrilled to be part of the KC Zine Con organizing committee! Zines are perfect creative outlets for kids of any age and ability! *Any kiddos who come with trades, come find Abigail!!! She wants your zines!!!!* Contact Abigail at abigailewalden@gmail.com.
Stephanie Iser has a background in youth and teen librarianship and is a lover of zines. She believes zines help people find and share their voice with others, and is excited to help youth connect with the zine medium for this purpose. Contact stephanie at stephanie.iser@gmail.com.
12 PM – 1 PM
TRANSforming Cis Spaces with Zines and Social Media
with August Hyde
Learn how to make spaces more safe and comfortable for trans people using zines and social media.
August Hyde is the president of SME zine club. He is a transgender artist and musician who has been making zines since 2015. Find August on instagram @auggiehenry, @smezineclub, and email can be sent to augusthhyde@gmail.com.
1 PM – 2 PM
Zines en Español
with Isidoro Leon
The program will introduce the creation of zines to Spanish speakers. Students will blend Spanish writing to create a class zine.
Isidoro Leon was born in Peru, raised in the Nevada desert, and is now living in the “Paris of the Plains.”
2 PM – 3 PM
Gender Identity and Labels: How Do I fit in the World
with Johnnie Gale
This presentation will come from an Elder Queer, Johnnie, who survived the Plague (HIV/AIDS) and lived to be able to reach hands out to the younger generation. He will explore Gender Identity and labels from a Historical and practical point of view, while sharing a little personal history, the larger queer history (from his perspective but also well researched), and the labels we used to identify ourselves. There will be exploration on how a person can fit into one or more of the labels or reject them completely. This presentation strives to be inclusive and interact with the audience during the discussion.
Johnnie is a non-op transmasculine gender queer human living in Topeka, KS with their spouse and family. He creates zines and videos, shoots nature photography, and likes to color and draw. He is also an accomplished Vegan Chef. Find Johnnie on instagram @johnnagale and on the web: http://artisticnomads.com
3 PM – 5 PM
Making Mini Zines; Doing Feminism
with Megan Williams PHD
What is the relationship between zines and feminism? In this Making Mini Zines, Doing Feminism Workshop, you will learn about zine-making as feminist practice and have the opportunity to create your own mini zine!
Megan Williams, PhD, (she/her/hers) is the Assistant Director of the Emily Taylor Center for Women & Gender Equity (ETC) at the University of Kansas. In this role, she promotes intersectional trans-inclusive feminism through educational programming, workshops, and social media. She also facilitates Make Mini Zines! Workshops for KU and Lawrence community members, hosts monthly Zines & Za events at the ETC, and co-organizes Queer Zine Nights with the KU Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity. For more information about the Emily Taylor Center’s zine programming and resources, please visit:https://emilytaylorcenter.ku.edu/mini-zine-mania. mwillia@ku.edu
5 PM – 6 PM
First Issue Club: Zine Spectacular *Live Recording*
The podcast creators of First Issue club hope to meet with fellow zine creators at the convention. During their workshop, they plan to give a platform to zine makers to share their stories and journey through life. They want to know how zine makers have been shaped and influenced in life and how that’s all reflected in their craft.
First Issue Club is a podcast that promotes inclusiveness and diversity in comic cook and zine culture. They believe that more diverse voices and backgrounds are needed to make the industry more complex and enriched.
First Issue Club can be found on the web at https://fountaincityfrequency.com/first-issues-club.
Sound & Activities Schedule
| SOUND SCHEDULE | OTHER ACTIVITIES |
| 11:15 AM – 11:30 AM | |
| Keynote Speech Jay-Marie Hill | 12PM, 2 PM, 4 PM, 6 PM |
| RAFFLE DRAWINGS | |
| 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | TOURS OF LA BUDDE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS |
| Music from DJ DAN OHM | INCLUDING THE ZINE ARCHIVE |
| (Meet in front lobby – 12 PM & 2 PM) | |
| 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | |
| Music from DJ DRAMA | LIVE ACTIVIST PRINTS FROM |
| ODDITIES PRINTS 11:30AM & 2PM | |
| 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | |
| Music from DJ /encode | ANTI HATE SPEECH PETITION SIGNING |
FAQ
I’ve never tabled at a zine fest before — is this the fest for me? Do you make zines (or other radical readables such as DIY chapbooks or comix?) If you answered yes, then KCZC is the fest for you — we’d love to have you as an exhibitor! Many zinesters also sell their stickers, prints, and other wares at their table, but remember: your table’s content must be at least 60% zines (or other radical readables). Although similar, a zine fest is not a comic book convention or craft fair. If you don’t make zines, or if you primarily want to sell your crafts, stickers, prints, ceramics, shirts, etc. then this is not the fest for you.
Is KCZC accessible? We’ve done our best to make KCZC an accessible space to all. The event is in a wheelchair-accessible space. There will be a quiet room on site. The venue is accessible by foot, bicylce, and public transportation. Read more about our fest’s accessibility here.
I’m new to zines — is that okay? We welcome zinesters of all backgrounds to table at KCZC! Even if you’re new to zines and have only made one zine thus far, you’re welcome here. Apply for a half table and see what it’s all about.
Give me some more advice for newbie tablers: Over the past 4 fests, we’ve noticed a few common threads between our most successful tablers. Here are our tips: Have at least 20 copies of each title available. Be open to trading zines with your fellow tablers (it’s the best way to make new friends at the fest!) Price your work for accessibility: consider pricing some or all of your zines at $5 or less. Get a Square reader so you can accept card payments. Bring a water bottle or a travel mug, as well snacks or cash for the vending machine. Decorate your table with a table cloth and signage. Have fun!
How much do tables cost? KCZC is moving to a sliding scale payment system where participants pay what they can for their table space. We suggest a $20 donation for Half Tables and a $40 donation for Full Tables. Table fees are used to pay for the festival: renting tables and chairs, purchasing supplies such as signs, sharpies and name tags, hosting this website, paying our workshop facilitators and poster artists, etc. Tabling fees are not due until after you’re accepted: it is free to apply.
What size are the tables? How many people can sit at my table? A Half-Size Table is 3′ wide and comes with one chair. A Full-Size Table is 6′ wide and comes with two chairs. In order to keep the tabling rows comfortable, accessible, and safe for everyone, we are unable to provide extra chairs. If you need special accommodations, such as a seat at the end of a row, please let us know in your application so we can make sure you are taken care of!
