Muchacha Fanzine

Muchacha Fanzine was created by Daisy Salinas in 2011 and is still active in the present day, calling themselves a "radically intersectional & decolonial Xicana Feminist Publication" on their website. "Muchacha" means girl in Spanish, and "Xicana", not to be confused with "Chicana", is a term used to describe someone with indigenous heritage. While it can be considered to have evolved from the word Chicana, which specifically describes someone with Mexican roots, Xicana is a more inclusive term.

Pictured above is the cover of two editions, the third and tenth, which were released in summer 2012 and spring 2015, respectively, and contain a variety of prose and art about the range of emotions and experiences of being a woman. From describing their grandma as a powerful giver of life and describing themselves as a feminist mermaid to writing about the sexism, racism, and homophobia women still deal with in the 21st century, Muchacha Fanzine has it all.

As Cloud Cardona accurately describes in her own interview, Muchacha Fanzine contains "reflections on the reality of womanhood...the struggles and also the joys and...frustrations and anger" of being a queer woman of color. Daisy and Muchacha Fanzine prompts us to understand how important intersectionality is, especially in revolutionary thought. Many of the causes revolutionary movements dedicate themselves to are often related and interconnected, whether it's for women's rights, queer rights, decolonization, or any other issue affecting minority communities. Daisy's last line of her interview is "More than anything, I hope the legacy is not just the zines themselves, but the consciousness, courage, and commitment to liberation they helped spark", which perfectly sums up the collection and reminds us that no one is truly free until we are all free. 

You can read a snippet of Daisy's interview below.