What are... zines?

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)

Past Events

Samberg is a zine artist, poet, and harm reduction 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 spans a variety of topics, including the toxic drug crisis, sexual health, queer feminism, disability justice, and personal storytelling. Samberg has a background in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, as well as experience working in drug testing in the DTES.

Rat Queen Zine's newest issue, Fentanyl, is a comprehensive guide that aims to provide accurate, unbiased information on fentanyl and other opioids. This edition also reviews common myths that have circulated about drugs and people who use them, applying historical contexts and the philosophy of harm reduction to debunk misinformation.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Playground Studio 1st Anniversary Celebration
@The Playground Studio
(Naloxone training, art market, and more!)
September 5th
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Published

Zine Harvest's ZUMMER ZINE ZOCIAL
@Dude Chilling Park
(Summer 2024)

Zine Harvest @ The Sun Wah Centre
(Summer 2025)

Doug Zine Fest @Douglas College
(FAll 2025)

Harm Reduction Workshop @SFSS
Womens Centre
(Spring 2025)

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

3rd Planet Art Market @Club Soda Studio
(Spring 2026)

Burnaby Zine Fest @SFSS Women's Centre
(Spring 2026)

Naloxone & Harm Reduction Workshop
@Collingwood Neighbourhood House

MEZZ FEST @The Mezzanine

About Me

To book a workshop, please email rqz.creative@proton.me to discuss expectations, availability, and pricing.

GROUP WORKSHOPS:
Harm Reduction Basics & Naloxone Training (2 hours):
$220.00

Advanced Harm Reduction Workshop (1.5 hours):
*does not include naloxone training
$220.00

Naloxone Training (45 min):
$150.00

Event Safety Workshop - Creating safer venues
& interacting with police (2 Hours):
$220.00

* If you are an independent organizer or community-based group with limited funds, please email me to discuss payment options.
* Events with over 20 people are subject to increased rates
* In-person workshops outside of Vancouver may be subject to additional fees to account for travel costs.

In your email, please include the following:

- Name and organization name
- Which workshop you want 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.)

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Naloxone Training Requests:

Email: rqz.creative@proton.me

Instagram: @ratqueenzines

Substack: @ratqueenzine