We Are Still Here: A Zine About Immigrant Voices
My project, “We Are Still Here,” is a small hand-made zine created to share stories and messages from immigrants in my neighborhood. The idea came from looking at Pierre Mukeba’s artwork Trauma (2017) and the activism of the Guerrilla Girls. Both artists inspired me to use art not just for beauty, but for truth-telling and change. Mukeba uses personal and emotional images to express the pain and resilience of migration, while the Guerrilla Girls use words and bold design to fight injustice in public spaces. I wanted to mix both emotion and activism in one small, creative project that could easily reach people. Each page of my zine focuses on a short story, drawing, or quote from immigrants and first-generation students I spoke with. The pages include hand-drawn faces inspired by Mukeba’s expressive line style, figures that seem both hurt and hopeful. I used colored markers and collage to create layers of emotion, representing how memories and experiences overlap in the lives of immigrants. The zine’s goal is to remind readers that immigrants are not invisible; they are essential to the community. The title, “We Are Still Here,” conveys the themes of survival, pride, and unity even in the face of challenges. Pierre Mukeba’s Trauma (2017) shows people who carry both suffering and power. His art made me think about the emotional side of immigration, not just statistics or laws, but feelings and memories. The Guerrilla Girls inspired how I used text and design to make the zine stand out. They use humor, facts, and direct language to start conversations. As they say, “We could be anyone and we are everywhere.” I wanted my zine to spread that same spirit, small, anonymous, but powerful. The zine became a small but powerful form of community activism, something portable, creative, and emotional that turned everyday spaces into places for awareness and connection.
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