Suemi Guerra is an educator and zinemaker. She is also the author of the fictional zine, Suicidal Goldfish. She is currently working on the fiction zine Las Fakes. Suemi has participated in many zine festivals such as the Los Angeles Zine Fest, Echo Park Rising, Long Beach Zine Fest, OC Zine Fest, and Latino Comics Expo. She’s also been invited to be part of zine workshops throughout Los Angeles.
How did you get interested in zines?
I got interested in zines when I attended the first L.A. Zine Fest and I love the process of making each zine, like it is specially made for that one person you are sending it to.
What are your zines about?
My zines are an eclectic type of collection because my fiction zine Suicidal Goldfish is a coming-of-age story and I am currently working on Las Fakes, it is a fun girl band adventure. I also have poetry zines that are from my own personal journal entries about boy crushes and dancing.
What are some of your favorite zines and zine makers?
I have so many favorites and it was so hard to narrow it down to five:
Elise Bernal Zines, You Got This: Meditations on Finding Balance, and Here You Are
Karen Joyce Collaboration Zine, Stage Fright: How To Deal with Performance Anxiety
Emily Hillburg Zine, Dirty Pillowz
Camille Kolo Gavotte
Tori Holder Comix Zines, Small Universes.
Your zines are in our library collection for patrons to borrow. What do you think about that?
I must quote Mac Miller on this from his tiny desk performance “It is a beautiful thing.” I truly love that libraries are so supportive of the Zine Community and giving people the opportunity to read and enjoy Suicidal Goldfish.
What do you think is the future of zines?
I think that the future of zines looks very bright and that people will continue making them to share with friends and strangers.
Why are zines important?
Zines are important because it is a way a person can express themselves through writings and illustrations and can share them with others, and perhaps, you can make a tiny change in someone else’s life that might be going through what you went through makes the journey of life less lonely.
