What's a Zine?

What’s a Zine?

A zine (pronounced "zeen," short for magazine or fanzine) is a self-published, non-commercial booklet, often produced by hand, photocopied, and stapled. Known for a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) ethos, zines cover niche topics, personal narratives, and alternative viewpoints ignored by mainstream media. See some of the examples featured above.

So why $15,000?

While most zines have smaller circulation, we want our Pedestrian Dignity Civic Action Zine to be distributed widely to passionate residents, organizers, and multimodal advocates all across the United States (plus a downloadable PDF for supporters outside of the U.S.). We see pledges to our campaign as investments. You help us make a zine and you get zines in return to distribute in your community.

This involves more printing and shipping. We also want to pay contributors well. Too often, there is an expectation to donate art, writing, and personal experience to advocacy efforts. While there is a place for this, we want to do it differently. We want all selected artists, poets, storytellers, translators/transcreators, designers, and editors to be fully supported for their time and efforts. If we exceed our goal, we will be able to print more zines and provide small financial stipends to our outreach team.

Visit the Campaign Page!

What’s in the Zine?

We hope to complete the zine by August of 2026. We will open our submission form in late-May 2026 soon after reaching our crowdfunding goal. We are seeking short stories, poems, and artwork centering the lived experience of all who walk, use wheelchairs, ride a bicycle or scooter, and take transit to access essential services.

All published artists, writers, and storytellers will receive a stipend for their contributions. Visit our interest form HERE to learn more about content-submission priorities, and be the first to get notified when submissions open. Throughout the Zine, we will include civic action prompts to encourage local, regional, and national mobility justice advocacy. We are working with Hysteria Heart Press (woman-owned) based in Alamosa, CO to provide printing and binding services.

What happens in 15 days?

Our campaign is all or nothing. If we reach our goal in 15 days, we will receive all pledges to make the zine! If we do not reach our goal, we don't receive any funding. **You will only be charged at the end of the campaign if we reach our goal. If we don't reach our goal, you will not be charged.**

As of this update, 69 people have jumped in. If you are someone who is passionate about safer, more comfortable, and more accessible mobility for all who walk, use wheelchairs, and take transit, please consider a pledge. You might enjoy watching a quick reel (English version or Spanish version) by one our outreach partners, Daniel Rodriguez, inviting folks to pledge.

If 1/4 of this list pledged at the $65 Block Caretaker tier, we would soar past our goal.

Pledge Here!

Lastly, I have invited anyone on my email lists to participate in a Week Three Pen Art Giveway. Learn more here. The giveaway is only available to those who pledge at our most popular tiers, Community Builder and Civic Action Organizer. A reminder that the Community Builder includes 8 printed zines for $115 and the Civic Action Organizer includes 15 zines, a signed copy of WALK, and more for $225.

Thanks for being here!

Jonathon

PS: A special shout out to all of our wonderful outreach partners. You can see some of them below. Please visit the campaign page to see all partners and their links.