SEEDS OF SB
My hope is to break apart the hetero/cis/ wealthy pressure that we are born into. It’s time we normalize talking about the traumas and injustices that occur while nurturing ourselves, others, & the land, & finally rid ourselves of the guilt that was placed on to us by a system that was never for us. This project is VERY SPECIFICALLY rooted in deconstruction of the euro-centric, patriarchal, heteronormative, capitalist, and classist society. While I welcome everyone to participate, it is my project. And I have no issue not giving space to anyone who upholds and supports racism, ableism, transphobia, classism, or the police.
We do not put down those who are sex workers, “undocumented”; experience addiction, homelessness, mental illness; or victims of the criminal justice system. There are ways to have conversations surrounding the abuses we may have suffered, without grouping everyone “as a whole.”
And lastly,
This project will always elevate the voices of those who are Black, Indigenous, POC, queer, trans, sex workers, and/or femme.
THE FUTURE OF SEEDS OF SB...
I have continued to work on establishing a base of supporters in the community. I have established someone to help me with printing, I’ve purchased materials necessary for vending, and have stayed in regular communication with people through the social media account I created for the zine.
I believe in paying people for their work, and have been able to maintain a budget that provides some compensation for those who submit their work. I plan to continue vending the zine online and at local events to create more interest and to hopefully help grow the compensation available for the artists. I don’t have a clear timeline on how long I intend to keep this project going, but I don’t see myself stopping soon. I enjoy connecting with others, being witness to folks being vulnerable and willing to share their experiences with their community, and have hopes of seeing the zine become a project that community member can pride themselves in.
NOHEMI LOPEZ
Nohemi (they/them or she) was born and raised in the Dino with parents who arrived from Juarez. She had to learn to navigate being a first-generation child, while living with violence in the home due to family members with untreated mental illness. Her escape became a life of substance use and unsafe social practices. At 16 they became pregnant, kept the pregnancy, and realized they had to change their path in order to be the best version of a parent they thought they needed to be. Currently, Nohemi has come out as queer/nonbinary, completed two BAs, has worked with young parents, volunteers facilitating a parent support group, and has a career assisting the transgender community navigate the health care system.
