Zine Intro
Pretend you're holding a little 5.5 x 8.5 booklet, instead of reading this on a screen
Hey!
For the past few months, I’ve been working at Harvard Special Collections rehousing an archival collection of zines (pronounced zeen, like magaZINE). What is a zine, you might ask? THIS is a zine—a small circulation, self-published work. Zines (or fanzines) were a popular method of communication and self-expression in the punk, Riotgrrl, and counterculture scenes of the 80s and 90s. Zines are still around today, case in point!
In my little cubicle in the Houghton Library, I’ve encountered zines about everything from anarchism to Disneyland, from diner food to motherhood. And while I’ve been digging around in the world of 90s counterculture, a lot has been going on in our own world. ICE has kidnapped and detained pro-Palestine student protestors and countless other immigrants. The Trump administration has targeted Harvard’s funding, using unfounded accusations of antisemitism to restrict academic freedom. Israel and the US attacked Iran, further escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Most of all, the genocide in Gaza has continued. In March, a month after I started working on the zine collection, Israel ended the January ceasefire and began bombing Gaza again. Since then, Israel has enforced a near-complete aid blockade that has led to mass starvation and famine in Gaza. Only the U.S.-based, Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is permitted to distribute aid, and, since May, over 600 Palestinians have been killed by guards at GHF sites.
By the most conservative estimates, 58,000 Palestinian people have been killed by Israel since October 2023, with roughly 90% of the population displaced. Through all this, the United States still gives $3.8 billion in military aid to Israel annually.
As I’ve watched the deadly famine in Gaza, and the way my country and community have made that famine possible, I’ve been thinking of ways to take action. About a year ago, I sold poetry to raise money for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. Now, I’m making this little zine, inspired by the zines I’ve been perusing for the last few months.
Back in the day, zinesters used their personal resources, social networks and the good ol’ USPS to share their work, sometimes with just a couple of friends, and sometimes with readers across the country who shared their interests or background. Influenced by the DIY sensibility of the punk movement, zines were often intentionally informal, irreverent, messy, and spontaneous. At the same time, they were often incredibly sincere and intimate, connecting the personal and political in creative ways.
This little zine you’re reading is my attempt to use my personal resources (time, memories, free printing at the library, a network of wonderful friends) to notice, relieve, and hopefully help to end suffering in Gaza. It’s got essays, a poem, lists, ideas, and recipes. Hopefully something here will get you thinking and, even better, acting. My experience living in Jerusalem as a child shaped my commitment to peace and liberation in Palestine and deepened my Latter-day Saint belief in Jesus Christ. To me, Jesus is peace and liberation embodied. We are all invited to participate in the realization of that peace and liberation. Thanks for reading and acting.
Sarah Emmett
Boston, Massachusetts
July 2025
Sources:
“PBS News Wrap: Palestinian death toll in Gaza passes 58,000 officials say.” July 13, 2025. PBS News.
“Israel killing Palestinians with weapons paid for by US taxpayers: CAIR.” May 29, 2025. Aljazeera.
“613 killed at Gaza aid distribution sites, near humanitarian convoy, says UN.” July 4, 2025. Reuters.