See Stories is excited to partner with Anchorage artist and curator Simonetta Mignano to lead the workshop, ‘Zines & Dreams at The McLaughlin Youth Center in Anchorage.  ‘Zines & Dreams is a ‘zine-making arts workshop where each participant will explore their dreams through zine-making. A ‘zine is a homemade, easily replicable magazine, “‘zine” for short. Each student will compile images and stories to create their own ‘zine during the course of the project. Each student will be guided through a process of exploring their stories of culture and community as well as their dreams for their futures through the making of ‘zines. Each participant will be invited to develop their own zine using a variety of printed media, narrative and visual forms. The participants will explore and learn about their present and future dreams through self-publishing and will engage in a series of collective and individual activities— such as writing, drawing and Deep Listening©— that will foster the production of a zine relating to their dreams.

The class will also be joined by paper artist Susan Joy Share for one or two sessions. Susan will teach students how to bind their zines into creative masterpieces that they will be able to take with them. Each participant will contribute with one or more pages from their own zines for the creation of a collective zine. The collective zine will be displayed at McLaughlin Youth Center and made available for public sharing.

By participating in ‘Zines & Dreams, students will: 

• Gain story-writing skills that will empower them to creatively express themselves within the structure of a zine
• Engage in a positive environment for socio-emotional learning, supporting their peers through the ‘zine making process and providing encouraging feedback about one another’s ‘zines
• Experience improves self-esteem and confidence that they can achieve their dreams.

This project is funded by the Alaska State Council on the Arts Cultural Collaborations Grant.

This program will be held in-person and is only open to youth enrolled at McLaughlin Youth Center.