Dear friends & supporters,

i want to let you know that i am not working directly with Thaura Distro any longer, but still support the work and hope that you find our collaboration to be as inspiring as i have!!! It has been a blessing and a learning experience for me, and i am ready to spread my artistic & spiritual wings.

Should you wish to keep up with my doings, my blog is here. You can also reach me by email at niqaabisister@yahoo.com.

i am forever grateful to Mai'a, and to all of you. i now leave you in most capable hands.

In Revolutionary Love,

Aaminah

Revolutionary Love is More Than a Catch Phrase

FINAL UPDATE (10/29/10):

Book sale is moving to CripChick's blog and will feature over 100 books!!! Please check out her site next week (early November) for the full list and sale. Remember, every purchase supports revolutionary love and disability community building.

*** No further sales are taking place from this site.
Please visit CripChick's blog.***

Many thanks for your support!

***

IMPORTANT UPDATE: This sale is in the process of MOVING locations. Please come back for updated info on where to go and how to continue supporting Stacey & Mia. More books will also be added with the move, so it's quite exciting! (Aaminah 10/27/10)

***

Because Thaura Distro values radical, revolutionary love and we believe that revolutionary love requires action, we announce a fundraiser in support of Stacey "CripChick" and Mia Mingus. Stacey and Mia, two of our favorite compañeras, are making a massive journey. Both literally and figuratively they will be merging homes. You can read about their plans HERE, and find out about another wonderful fundraiser another friend has also put together an art sale HERE.

We have decided to put together our own fundraiser to support Stacey & Mia.

(Of course, if you aren't interested in any of the books offered but still would like to donate, simply follow the donation instructions below and we will still send you a special gift.)

Books are available for a donation. Minimum donation per book is $1, but of course more is appreciated! Thaura Distro will take care of the postage, so you don't need to factor that into price and can be assured that 100% of your donation will go straight to Stacey & Mia. We will also send you a small gift to express our gratitude for your support.

To donate by purchasing books:

1. Look thru the list below and decide what book(s) you want.
2. Determine how much you are willing to donate (remember, minimum donation is $1 per book, but you are encouraged to donate more if you are able.)
3. Leave a comment here specifying which books you want reserved for you so that others can see those books are spoken for pending updates to this post.
4. Send an email to thauradistro@gmail.com telling us, again, which books - and which seller's list they are from - you want and the address to send them to.
5. Send your donation via PayPal to niqaabisister@yahoo.com (if you are unable to use PayPal to make your donation, please make arrangements for another form of payment when emailing us at thauradistro@gmail.com)

Books will be mailed out after your donation is received.

Here's the list of available books: Please note that books may be added to the list as more become available.

In America, by Susan Sontag (2000, fiction, paperback, used, 387 pgs)

And Don’t Call Me a Racist!: A treasury of quotes on the past, present & future of the color line in America, selected & arranged by Ella Mazel (1998, anthology, paperback, used, 147 pgs) - TAKEN

A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare 1599, by James Shapiro (2005, non-fiction/biography, paperback, brand new, 376 pgs)

Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad (1990 Dover Thrift Edition, fiction, paperback, brand new, 72 pgs)

Is Bill Cosby Right? Or has the Black Middle Class Lost its Mind?, by Michael Eric Dyson (2005, non-fiction/African-American studies/Current Affairs, paperback, used, 242 pgs) - TAKEN

Letters to a Young Brother, by Hill Harper (2006, non-fiction/self-improvement/African-American studies, paperback, used, 173 pgs) - TAKEN

The Coffee Trader, by David Liss (2003, fiction, paperback, used, 386 pgs plus reader’s guide)

Don’t Be Afraid Gringo: A Honduran Woman Speaks from the Heart, the story of Elvia Alvarado translated & edited by Medea Benjamin (1987, non-fiction/biography/Latin American & Women’s Studies, paperback, used, 146 pgs plus appendices) - TAKEN

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, by Anthony Bourdain (2007 updated edition, non-fiction/autobiography, paperback, used, 312 pgs plus 22 pgs of additional interviews etc.) - TAKEN

Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women & the Rise of Raunch Culture, by Ariel Levy (2005, non-fiction/social science, paperback, used, 212 pgs) - TAKEN

Pieces of the Heart: New Chicano Fiction, edited by Gary Soto (1993, fiction/anthology, paperback, used but like new, 171 pgs) - TAKEN

Cabato Sentora: Poems, by Ray Gonzalez (1999, poetry, paperback, used, 124 pgs)

We Don’t Need Another Wave: Dispatches from the Next Generation of Feminists, edited by Melody Berger (2006, non-fiction/anthology, paperback, used with some minor water damage on bottom edge, 319 pgs) - TAKEN

Great Irish Tales of Horror: A Treasury of Fear, edited by Peter Haining (1995, fiction/folklore, hardcover, used but like new, 301 pgs)

A Fortune Teller Told Me: Earthbound Travels in the Far East, by Tiziano Terzani (1997, travel/bio, hardcover, used but like new, 367 pgs)

Red Earth & Pouring Rain, by Vikram Chandra (1995, fiction, hardcover, used/discarded library book in good condition, 542 pgs) - TAKEN

The Sober Kitchen: Recipes & Advice for a Lifetime of Sobriety, by Liz Scott (2003, non-fiction/cookbook, paperback, used, 448 pgs)

Womanpower: The Arab Debate on Women at Work, by Nadia Hijab (1988, non-fiction/women’s studies, paperback, new, 165 pgs) - TAKEN

Arabic in Three Months (1999, non-fiction/language learning, paperback, used, 220 pgs plus mini dictionary) - TAKEN

The Bad Detective, by H.R.F. Keating (1996, fiction, hardcover, used/discarded library book, 279 pgs)

The Book Shop, by Penelope Fitzgerald (1978, fiction, paperback, used, 123 pgs)

The Cellist of Sarajevo, by Steven Galloway (2008, fiction, paperback, used, 235 pgs)

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, by Dave Eggers (2000, non-fiction/biography/uncategorical bullshit, paperback, used, 437 pgs plus “Mistakes We Knew Were Making”

Additional Books added to the sale

available from CripChick:

*NEW* 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim, and Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special
[Spiral-Bound] by Faith Blakeney

Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy - TAKEN

*NEW* Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People by Helen
Zia (brand new copy)

*NEW* Catcher and the Rye by JD salinger (brand new copy)

*NEW* Cereus Blooms at Night by Shani Mootoo

Charlie Chan Is Dead 2: At Home in the World (An Anthology of
Contemporary Asian American Fiction) by Jessica Hagedorn and Elaine
Kim - TAKEN

*NEW* Deaf Culture Our Way: Anecdotes from the Deaf Community by Holcomb

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez - TAKEN

*NEW* How People Get Power by Si Kahn

*NEW* Hum Bows, Not Hot Dogs by Bob Santos

*NEW* Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell
(hardcover, brand new copy)

Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty
by Dorothy Roberts - TAKEN

*NEW* Kindred by Octavia Butler

*NEW* Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History by Bruce Cumings

*NEW* My Face Is Black Is True: Callie House and the Struggle for Ex-Slave
Reparations (hardcover)

*NEW* Native Speaker by Chang Rae Lee

*NEW* Nine Stories by JD Salinger (brand new copy)

No Fire Next Time: Black-Korean Conflicts and the Future of America's
Cities by Patrick D. Joyce (brand new copy) - TAKEN

Our Dead Behind Us: Poems by Audre Lorde - TAKEN

Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler (old copy) - TAKEN

Peel My Love Like an Onion: A Novel by Ana Castillo (hard copy) - TAKEN

*NEW* Red Letter Christians: A Citizen's Guide to Faith and Politics by Tony Campolo

Stolen Sharpie Revolution: A DIY Zine Resource by Alex Wrekk - TAKEN

*NEW* Sula by Toni Morrison (old copy)

*NEW* The American Dream: Speeches by Barack Obama (brand new copy)

*NEW* Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

The Last Generation: Prose and Poetry by Cherrie Moraga - TAKEN

*NEW* The Pigman by Paul Zindel (old copy)

The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael CHABON (brand new copy) - TAKEN

Watchmen by Alan Moore (brand new copy) - TAKEN

*NEW* What I Know for Sure: My Story of Growing Up in America by Tavis
Smiley (hardcover, brand new copy)

What Is the What by Dave Eggers (brand new copy) - TAKEN

Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde - TAKEN

a testament of hope: the essential writings and speeches of MLK - TAKEN

yellow: race in american beyond black and white - TAKEN

war against the weak: eugenics and america's campaign to create a master race (hard copy) - TAKEN

selling out: the gay and lesbian movement goes to market (hard copy) - TAKEN

available from our dear friend & fellow zinester China Martens:

The Chelsea Whistle, by Michelle Tea (2002, memoir, paperback, good condition, 331 pgs)

The Complete Book of Chakra Healing, by Cyndi Dale (second edition, first printing 2009, healing, paperback, used but like new, 430 pgs)

The Ogre, by Michel Tournier (first published in 1970, John Hopkins Paperback Edition 1997, fiction, paperback, bought from used bookstore for $4 dollars, previous owner signed their name/date/city in tiny light pencil cursive which is endearing, 370 pgs)

Cassandra, by Christa Woolf (1984, fiction, paperback, used in worn condition, 305 pgs)

Sex with the Lights On, by Ducky DooLittle (2006, nonfiction, paperback, good condition, 282 pgs) - TAKEN

Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver (2000, fiction, hardcover, good to great condition, 444 pgs) - TAKEN

Zine Yearbook 9 (2007 anthology includes Tenacious #11 & #12, Resistance of Dreams #1, Urban Adventure League, The Book Bindery, Southern Fried #9, Zinester's Guide to US Mail, Resist #46, East Village Inky #33, and many more; paperback, very good condition, 240 pages) - TAKEN

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez (1991, paperback, used but good, 290 pages)

available from LaBianca: (LaBianca says all of these books are like new unless otherwise noted)

Great Sky Woman by Steven Barnes (Hardcover) - TAKEN

Nerve The First Ten Years (Nerve.com) - TAKEN

Brothels, Depravity, and Abandoned Women: Illegal Sex in Antebellum New Orleans by Judith Kelleher Schafer - TAKEN

The Kingdom Of This World by Alejo Carpentier (used: heavily highlighted w/pencil)

B is for Beauty by Alberto Ferreras

100 Questions You'd Never Ask Your Parents Vol 1 by Elisabeth Henderson and Nancy Armstrong - TAKEN

Border-line Personalities: A New Generation of Latinas Dish on Sex, Sass and Cultural Shifting by Michelle Herrera Mulligan and Robyn Moreno - TAKEN

Work, Family and Health: Latina Women In Transition by Ruth Zambrana

Pleasures: Women Write Erotica by Lonnie Garfield Barbach

Playing With Boys (hardcover) by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

Loteria and Other Stories by Ruben Mendoza - TAKEN

Announcing New Zine: ... because Sumayyah said so by Sumayyah Talibah

Thaura Distro is very proud to present the first zine by our sister/comrade Sumayyah Talibah!

... because sumayyah said so

to read online or download, go HERE

to purchase paper copies, please send a donation ($4 suggested, but more if you can) to cover printing and mailing costs, thru PayPal to tmonilin80@yahoo.com.

please also be sure to check out Sumayyah's website! there is lots of awesome writing available there.

outlaw midwives printable

hi there!

here is the downloadable, printable version of outlaw midwives vol. 1.

you should be able to print this double sided so that you can make as many print copies as you like...share the outlaw vision!

download link here

anyways, try it and tell me if it works!

Aaminah's zine-making Process

i said that i would share my process for zine making, so i made a point of taking some photos along the way as i was working on my second zine, Fear Hope & Justice. You can see a larger version of the mosaic HERE, and that includes links to each individual photo so that you can see them each in better detail (on my Flickr) as well. Here is my process:


1. collect poetry, quotes, images/art that i would like to use in the zine; format text, print and cut everything up for use.

2. i enjoy making my cover first. i'm not suggesting that is a "normal" way to start, but since i am very ocd and also use my dreams/visions/instincts to guide the process, it is so far been my process. i think it lets me set out a visual for myself of where i'm going, keeps my "goal"; in mind or how i want things to come together.

3. i take 8 1/2 x 11 paper (i am flexible about what kind of paper. my first zine i used yellow lined legal pad paper of the correct size. i liked that because then it created lines on pages in the photocopied zine which i thought was interesting background. for this zine here i used regular white copy paper.) and fold it in half, setting the pages inside each other. this way, as i start pasting/designing, pages are automatically designed in the order that i would like them to appear in the zine. i know other people like to move pages around, reposition things. that isn't my method. i also don't have a specific number of pages in mind. i know the minimim number i want to have to get all of my "pieces" in there, but i usually end up with at least a few pages more than i had planned on because i don't really count at first. this gives me space to still get a little creative, after i start laying things out on the pages. i can see that i have room to play with.

4. lay out. sometimes this involves additional cutting or shaping. laying things out gives me an idea of how many pages i have to work with or need to fill before i start pasting.

5. pasting. i start the basic pasting, getting things put together in the order i really want. order and balance of text to art is pretty instinctual for me. i follow my instincts.

6. adding additional pieces. when i see i still have quite a bit of white space or pages look too formal or plain, i start looking for creative and unusual elements to fill in space and add texture. in this case, i used several cards from a set i had to use matching elements that went thruout the zine.

7. finished protype of zine.

8. photocopied finished zine.

Fear, Hope & Justice Zine Available

Fear, Hope & Justice

Remembering those lost, Protecting our Future

28 pages, half size

a zine created by Aaminah in memory of Oscar Grant and other youth we have lost in this world that is hostile to brown people and dangerous for our children. this zine features three poems by Aaminah, and poetry by Mai'a, Sumayyah Talibah, Noemi Martinez, CripChick, and Monchel Pridget, as well as a short essay by Brooke Benoit. interspesed thruout is art/photography and quotes from women who wrote immediately after the Oscar Grant trial verdict.

the zine is available to view/download FREE online HERE. (you can view it online but the print is smaller that way. if you prefer/need real-size print, there is a button above the image where you can download the pdf instead.)

if you would like to purchase a paper copy of the zine, the cost is $3 if purchased in conjunction with anything else from the distro, or $4 if purchased alone (to help with the postage). please make payments via Paypal to niqaabisister@yahoo.com.

Self-Determination sticker available

$1.50, includes shipping in U.S.
Title: i support self-determination for ALL women & girls
Description: 8 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch sticker in b/w.

Please make payment by PayPal to niqaabisister@yahoo.com.

outlaw midwives sticker

outlaw midwives sticker available soon through thaura zine distro

eta: click the link here to download the sticker. you can print it out on sticker paper 8 1/2 x 11. there are four to a page...

(in order to insure that they fit four to a page, download the doc and print from the download...)

link to outlaw midwives sticker

outlaw midwives zine is here!

yay!

outlaw midwives zine is here!

it has been an honor to get read so many beautiful stories, poems, essays from mamas, midwives, doulas, students, unattached women. thank you. and i am so excited to share it with all of you...because revolutionaries are born everyday...

soon i will be posting a pdf version so that folks can print it out themselves...

and more options to enjoy the outlaw midwives zine are coming soon...

and the call for submissions for outlaw midwives volume 2 will be posted soon, so if you weren't able to submit to this zine, don't worry, you can get another chance

online you can read it here: http://issuu.com/maiamedicine/docs/outlaw_midwives

Open publication - Free publishing - More women

intro—mai'a williams

heartbeat—Summayah Talibah

outlaw midwives manifesta—mai'a williams

the leaving—Heather Bowlan

outlaw midwives fae—Nadia Abou-Karr

new stories—China Martens

trust and trauma—Soraya

anti-oppression work and midwifery—K. Emvee

licensing, registering, and certifying
midwives—at what cost?--Gloria Lemay

beginning—Summayah Talibah

the battle in louisiana—Divine IZ Earth

the best midwife—Brooke Benoit

very at-home—Judith Gips

what aza taught me—mai'a williams

baby clothing tips for poor mamas—Aaminah Al-Naksibendi

for my son—Aaminah Al-Naksibendi

back cover art--Soraya

distro flyer

Thanks to a request from zinester-extraordinaire, China Martens, i have created a flyer that can be handed out to promote our distro. i'm trying to figure out how to get it into a pdf file that you can open and print, but until then anyone who is interested can email me (thauradistro@gmail.com) and i'll be happy to send it as an attachment to you. i have it set up two to an 8 1/2 x 11 page.

ETA: thanks to Mai'a, we now have a Google Doc image of the flyer (as i said, it's 2 to the page) that you can access here. If for any reason you can't access it or just prefer email, feel free to let me know (as above) and i can still send you an attachment of it.

cover for outlaw midwives zine

coming soon to a computer screen and mailbox near you. outlaw midwives zine. featuring visual art, poems, essays, and practical tips from women globally. about abortion, pregnancy, birth, and babyhood, colonialism, structural violence, anti-oppression work, and revolutionary love. stay tuned!

zine will be available for free online in a couple of days. and for a reasonable price a limited edition print copy will be available starting in early september.

btw aza says hi. ;)

peace,

mai'a

New Sticker Available

$1.50, includes shipping in U.S.

Title: Relationships, Not Résumés

Description: 8 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch sticker in b/w. for those who are more interested in building meaningful relationships in their community/activism than in adding to their résumés.

Please make payment by Paypal to niqaabisister@yahoo.com.

Aaminah's First Zine, Jewels for Survival, Ready for Purchase!

Jewels for Survival is ready for purchase! Above you can (hopefully) see a few images from the zine that give you a little taste of it. The first five images are from the zine, the last three images are from Gems (see below).

Cost: $10, includes shipping in U.S. and also includes Gems. Possible to trade, please contact us directly (thauradistro@gmail.com) to discuss trade options.

Title: Jewels for Survival Size: 54 pages, half page of 8 1/2 x 11

Description: these are lessons i have learned in my life, survival skills for this world & preparation for the next. the strugggle is for my own survival and to support all women of color around the world to do more than survive. i know that my survival is tied to the survival of my people, men and women.

Gems is a little "taste of the zine" that i am putting together. Everyone who purchases the zine will also get Gems thrown in. But you can purchase Gems as a stand-alone.

Gems - $2.50, includes shipping in U.S.

Title: Gems

Description: a small greeting card size that includes one poem from the Jewels for Survival zine ("when $50 is enough to save your life") and four quotes pulled from the zine

Please make payment by Paypal to niqaabisister@yahoo.com. If you would like to make a trade or arrange to mail a check or cash, please contact us at thauradistro.gmail.com.

Thanks!

First Time Zinester!

My first zine is done! i will post again as soon as it's ready for sale, but wanted to show you the "prototype", or finished zine before copying. It was an amazing experience, a lot of fun, and i've already got ideas for a second one!

Also of note, i plan to create some kind of documentation of my "process" and sharing it here at Thaura Distro. i know Mai'a has been sharing her creation process, and when i started i found that my natural process was a little different than hers. Since we recognize that different people "see" things differently and what works for one of us makes no sense to another, we think it's important to show you as much as we can. You should feel confident to try it out yourself and know that whatever method works for you, it's a valid method and you should enjoy your process and feel good about it.

Upcoming Zine

i've finally begun working on my first zine!

the theme is lessons of survival and it features short fiction, poetry, and some essays by me, as well as some quotes from other people.

i haven't begun dealing with the artwork/illustration and cover yet, so i have a long way to go. but i am really excited about what i've put together so far and the vision i have for it. it's just amazing to have gotten started.

as soon as it is available, it will be available exclusively thru Thaura Distro, of course, and i look forward to sharing it with all of you.

okay so here is me in the middle of making a zine.
the first thing i do is get a bunch of printer paper and fold them in half so they look like this:

i cut the paper in half. so there are like 32 half sheets of paper...

then i usually start playing with images, drawings, collages, cut and paste on the half-sheets of paper.

some e-zines y'all need to check out

so in the past couple of weeks a couple of ezines have hit the internets and i want to hip you to them...

1. don't leave your friends behind
edited by the fabulous vikki and china duo. this third edition is beautiful, well-written, chock full of ways to support parents and children in the movement.
'concrete ways to support caretakers and children in your scene'
you can check it out online here
41 pages

If you want a paper copy sent to you, please send $3 (or $5 for two and give the second to an ally in your life!) to:

V. Law
PO Box 20388
Tompkins Square Station
New York, NY 10009

they also have put out a call to submissions for the next volume of dont leave your friends behind.

"Deadline: September 15, 2010!

Don't Leave Your Friends Behind is a book geared toward the non-parent radical community about how to be an ally to the parent(s) in their midst.

This book is going to be a collection of some of the best minds out there. We're looking for activists, allies, and radical parents to submit the most kicking stuff to make this the best book ever for getting down to business: let's make a better world WITHOUT leaving out the mamas (and papas, partners, child-care providers) and children this time!

We want to know how you do support children and their caretakers in your collectives, organizations or communities."

2. noemi from hermana resist just put out her third volume of voces against violence.
the ezine can be found online here.

–a zine diy style, with work from poc, queer folk, survivors, healers. a text intended to be used as a community resources in dealing with multi-faceted violence and trauma.

please check it out. and may it evoke conversations that need to happen w/ yourself and your communities.

enjoy! support diy publishing. and get your mind blown!

in love,

mai'a

updates in may

ha ha ha...
1. did you know that mercury was in retrograde? april 17-may 11? were you feeling it? the retrograde was in taurus...

As the planet of communication, Mercury retrograde tends to breed a certain level of confusion. Mercury rules our "lower" mind--how we perceive and interpret information that we receive from our environment, and how we relay that information to others. Mercury has rulership over such things as speaking, negotiating, buying and selling, listening, formal contracts, documents, travel, the mail and shipping, and so forth. All of these areas of life are affected when Mercury is functioning in a sluggish state. Decision-making is challenged during Mercury retrograde. Needless to say, it is not advised to sign contracts, engage in important decision-making, or launch a new business. Delays and challenges are more probable with Mercury retrograde. It's a time when being careless with money, our personal information, or paperwork can be costly.

There is a positive side to Mercury Retrograde. This period is best used for re-organizing and reflecting. We look at the world a little differently--through different filters--and can come up with some very important inner revelations. It may be difficult to communicate them under this influence, but not everything needs to be rationalized. Mercury retrograde periods can be times of heightened inner awareness, when meditation, benefiting from keeping a journal, reworking old plans, and reviewing past work are favored. Minor breaks in the mechanical aspects of communication can actually re-connect us to other means of communication, such as when there is an unexpected power outage and we're forced off the computer and television, finding different and often satisfying ways to entertain ourselves.

2. so border home lands of course hit snags during the mercury retrograde. here is the snag: trying to create a pdf file that create space will accept. but, we are beginning to think that create space says that the file is not clear enough, not because of the level of dpi's that we use, but because well, i use grainy images. i like copies of a copy of a copy.
so we are going to go with what we got. stop mai'a from being a perfectionist. we will be offering a free e-zine version of the zine as well. which will be easy! i just have to figure out more techie shit (yeah, check the sarcasm!)
this has been frustrating and exciting. i admit i am a subversive by calling. and so figuring out ways to subvert the police state's censorship to be able to say and show what i want, well, is exciting. the frustrating part is that i am not techie. i am busy. and i hate excuses--so i am working on being gentle with myself. continuing to push forward and not fall into self-blame and guilt for not getting stuff out as soon as i would like. its okay, somedays im not superwoman ;)




3. our sister's tattoo was/is an incredible success. everyone's support for aaminah during this time just reaffirmed what i said last year which is: if we build it, we will come. radical love is powerful. and building community across borders is not a theory, its a daily practice, a daily prayer from us, to us, by us, for us. i love you aaminah.
i realize that aaminah will thank those who supported our sister's tattoo in her own way. but i want to as well, because you have no idea how everytime i opened my email and saw another notice that someone had contributed a bit of their hard earned money for this type of community love, it made my day. and i want to say thank you. more about that surprise later...

4. i am just starting to tackle the outlaw midwives project. the submissions have been amazing to go through. oh my god! seriously, y'all are brilliant! and i cant wait to show what the final product looks like. it is a deep project. one thing i would love to know from any and all of you is: what resources helped you/supported you during pregnancy, birth, and post partum? if you have any books, websites, list serves, organizations, etc. that you reached out for or that reached out for you...let me know...i would like to create a resource section for outlaw midwives as well.

5. here in cairo today it is 115 degrees today. yeah, its like that. and its not even june yet.
hope you guys have a great spring!

love,
mai'a

border home lands update

by mai'a

hi there!

ok. so, first and foremost sorry for the lull in communication. i have several excuses for this that you are probably not that interested in...but you know...been super sick with allergies/sinusitus/root canal for the past few weeks.
but really the big obstruction is that we discovered that the means i was going to use to send zines to the states was not sustainable. just not. so i had to put my creativity hat on and figure out a plan b.
plan b. make the zine into an order-on-demand book. yay! which meant that habibi and i had to learn a whole new set of skills that we didnt have. like how to make a pdf. and how to use create space. and we had to buy a scanner/printer. and learn to use it.
good times.
but not only have i picked up a few more helpful skills. but, the process is almost done! which means that for those of you who ordered a border/home/lands zine, you will receive one soon! yay! i am so sorry for the delay....



for those of you who i put 'on hold' from ordering a zine, b/c i was trying to work out the bugs...you will soon be able to order a zine and know it will be coming in under ten days!
and. there will be an electronic version of the zine available as well!
yes.
the sad part is that it won't be the hand crafted zine that i made. it will be a more mass produced version.
but honestly, it still looks really hot. and im proud of the product. and i believe that you will enjoy it as well.
also, for now at least, the upcoming zines that i create, will be produced and distributed through create space publish on demand. the next zine coming is: outlaw midwives.
there are a couple of folks who ordered a zine, but for some reason your email address has not worked for me. not sure what is up. my email address was warped and hexed. and that may have been part of it. so, if you are reading this...please let me tell you...i am kind of on top of shit...kinda...
and from now on things should run a lot more smoothly...its all about outwitting a police state...
hit me up at maiamedicine at gmail dot com if you have any questions or want to order the zine.

join us

salaams! join us at the thaura zine distro. support mamas diy radical publishing.

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remembering the sun

hi there,
this is not being handled through thaura zine distro, but i wanted to let you know about a new zine coming out from bfp!

While I’ve been dealing with this depression cycle, I’ve been working on my latest zine! It should be out and ready to go by the end of the week. It’s called, “Remembering the Sun,” and is poetry, stories, and letters of surviving and rebirth.

There will be two styles–one will be just the paper zine–the other will be the zine wrapped in a durable cover–so that you can carry it in your purse or in your car or whatever and it will stay safe. I made a lot of changes over my last zine–this one will be stapled (or otherwise made secure) so that all the pages stay in order.

The one with the cover will cost a little more–I’m thinking that I may sell it to the first X number of people who donate, say, $5 or $10 bucks or something. Not sure. The paper copy will be sold for a buck, like the first one was! Oh, and the one with the cloth cover may need to have more postage tacked on–I’ll find out once they are ready to go!

for more info check out flip flopping joy

the banner!

fun fact:

ooohh... did you know that our own talented aaminah hernandez designed the thaura zine distro collage banner?

yep.

border/home/lands

border/home/lands:

mai'a's zine reflecting on crossing borders, prison, home, motherhood, movement, community, and love.

stories and pictures about spending three days in israeli prison, hanging out in hash bar in amsterdam during obama's inauguration, stories from east african refugees in cairo, and more!

8 1/2 x 5 1/2, 36 pages, b & w.

$3 (including shipping and handling)

snapshot of the cover

if your pay pal address is different than your mailing address: when you get to the paypal.com page that says ‘review your payment’, click on the link that says ‘add special instructions to merchant‘ and type in your mailing address.

call for submissions: outlaw midwives zine

hi there!
i have received some amazing submissions for outlaw midwives zine. and a couple of people have asked me to extend the submission deadline. so i am extending the deadline to march 15. please feel free to submit if you havent done so yet…

send submissions to primitivedragonfly at yahoo dot com

i am envisioning this as a guide for birth workers and mothers, especially working class and mothers of color, on conception,
pregnancy, birth, and the baby year. for us by us.
i am looking for everything from a couple of practical tips in a couple
of sentences, to stories, to drawings and photos, lists, and more…

go here to read the full call for submissions

cool stickers

cool stickers
by mai'a
4 x 2 1/2
1.00 each



we are giving birth to each other


our power doesnt die


blessed be the survivors


revolutionaries are born everyday


crazy girls like us

cool stickers

we are giving birth to each other $1.00 our power doesnt die $1.00 blessed be the survivors $1.00 revolutionaries are born everyday $1.00 crazy girls like us $1.00

if your pay pal address is different than your mailing address: when you get to the paypal.com page that says ‘review your payment’, click on the link that says ‘add special instructions to merchant‘ and type in your mailing address.

hot off the presses: mama/survivor stickers

mama/survivor stickers
by mai'a
4 x 2 1/2

1.00 each


mama/survivor 1


mama/survivor 2


mama/survivor 3


mama/survivor 4

mama/survivor stickers

mama/survivor 1 $1.00 mama/survivor 2 $1.00 mama/survivor 3 $1.00 mama/survivor 4 $1.00 all 4 mama/survivor stickers $3.00

if your pay pal address is different than your mailing address: when you get to the paypal.com page that says ‘review your payment’, click on the link that says ‘add special instructions to merchant‘ and type in your mailing address.

why did you start a distro?

maia: i love making zines. i love their tactile nature. holding them in my hands. it is a way to get to see sides of someone that you dont see over the internet or in person. a way i can connect physically with people who are thousands of miles away. a way that we can communicate deeper and with more complexity with each other. zines can be intimate, erotic even, and of course fun.

aaminah: i want to support marginalized voices speaking/writing about marginalized issues. maia did a lot of research and i was suprised when she reported that there aren't any women of color/genderqueer centered distros, less than a handful woc-run distros, and that she couldn't find a single distro that sold zines talking about the things we talk about. there wasn't a single distro out there whose submission pages gave reason to think they'd ever distro the kind of zines she writes. or that i might write myself. which means that they wouldn't distro the kind of zine i want to read.