Posted on: May 11, 2015 Posted by: Stephanie Renner Comments: 0

This zine opens with a pleasant letter to the reader, and a helpful Table of Contents. The reflections on the Black Lives Matter movement are personal and from the perspective of the white, middle class author. The author talks specifically about tactics that may or may not be successful when bringing a movement to the attention of the boarder public. The author identifies as white and middle class person, so their approach must be surveyed with discretion. The author mentions some books such as The Angela Davis Reader and The Wretched Earth and speaks of how these titles are forcing the author to think critically about their own privilege and how it affects their ideas about organizing. It is great to see more zines covering this important movement.

256554_original (1)There is an interesting article by contributor Laurie discussing new research of Cross-Racial Therapy. The study found many White therapists visually expressed discomfort when discussing the topic of race. This article is enlightening and well written.

There is also a great contribution by Natajah speaking on her ideas of the recently revived fight against institutionalized racism from the perspective of a black woman. This article gives this zine the diversity and a perspective that is needed. This piece includes a great quote by Lila Watson, “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, let us work together.”

The zine also includes articles on Statistics on Prison and Race, Anarchism in Action in Rojava, Retail Workers Organizing, Big Oil’s Collusion with the State, The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): NAFTA on Steroids. The articles are easy to read and informative on relevant topics.

The zine ends with some zine reviews of NYC zines, book reviews, and music reviews. There is also a comic and one collage piece. The collage piece really stands out, as it is a great social commentary on “blood diamonds”. As it clashes the two images, one of slave diamond miners, with images of diamond rings advertisements such as, “SUPER BUY $499”.

Rating: 7.5/10

Suburban Blight #11 / 38 pages/ [email protected]

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