Rat Queen Zines Home

A very brief history of the zine:

Before there was stan twitter there was the fanzine, created originally by sci-fi enthusiasts of the early twentieth century who used the medium as a forum for dialogue, free from corporate editors or publishers. That same do-it-yourself ethos is what drew punks of the late twentieth century to embrace fanzines as a complement to their music, and as a means to challenge mainstream ideologies. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, zines became a centerpiece of movements like Queercore and Riot Grrrl. While the latter of these was critiqued for being primarily white and heteronormative, overall, these movements used zines to subvert dominant and patriarchal ideologies through the sharing of lived experiences. At the core of the zine-making ethos are subversion, freedom of thought, and a DIY attitude.

As is the nature of capitalism, corporations increasingly appropriated the practice as time went on; however, even today, zine-making remains a cornerstone for marginalized voices disseminating information and publishing creative work about things they love.

- The Creative Independant, Rona Akbari (2018)

Samberg (She/They) is a harm reduction activist, zine artist and organizer living in East Vancouver, unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples. They enjoy scavenging for scraps and repurposing materials to create new zines. Their work primarily focuses on feminist thought and personal storytelling. Samberg has a background in Gender, Sexuality, and Womens studies, as well as experience working in drug testing in the DTES.

Rat Queen Zines newest issue, Conversations on Care, was made in collaboration with Samberg's mother Deborah. This zine looks at barriers to accessing financial, social, and domestic support for disabled loved ones and the ways care work and domestic labour have been systemically undervalued.

Zine Harvest's ZUMMER ZINE ZOCIAL
(Summer 2024)

Zine Harvest @ the Sun Wah Centre
(Summer 2025)

Doug Zine Fest
(FAll 2025)

Harm Reduction Workshop @ the SFSS
Womens Centre
(Spring 2025)

Harm Reduction/ Naloxone Training Workshop
@ Take ur Time Back
(Spring 2026)

To book a workshop with me, please click the link above to discuss expectations, availability, and pricing.

INDIVIDUALS:
Naloxone Training (15-20 min): Free

GROUP WORKSHOPS:
Harm Reduction Basics & Naloxone Training (3 hours):
$200.00

* If you are an independant organizer or community based group with limited funds, please email me to discuss payment options.
* Events with over 15 people are subject to increased rates
* In person workshops outside of Vancouver may be subject to additional fee's to account for travel costs.

In your email please include the following:

- Name and organization name
- Which workshop you would like to book
- Purpose for booking
- Location (Online/ In person)
- Any financial barriers that I should consider
- Estimated number of attendees
- Who the workshop is for (ie: staff, community, youth, etc.)