Homecoming

This 20-page paper/analog zine focuses on my identity as a second generation, queer, Filipinx-Canadian settler in so-called Canada. Through storytelling and visual aids, I show and tell my experience of being Othered, whether it be having brown skin, having a feminine body, having curly hair, or being in predominantly white and east Asian environments as a child. In addition, I explore how my experiences around my appearance have shaped my identity, my values, and my goals. The zine is structured in a way that begins in my childhood all the way to where I’m at now.

"I was inspired to create this zine by a previous class I took on colonialism and identity and the ongoing genocide in Palestine, which both have kickstarted my journey into understanding positionality through exploring my identity more intimately.

This zine focuses on the following theories and concepts: racial consciousness, class consciousness, double consciousness, gender, sexuality, white fragility, & temporal liminality."

About the maker: Carmela is a writer, artist, and astrologer. They are a second-generation Filipinx-Canadian settled on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, also known as Vancouver, BC. They hold a BA in Communication from SFU and their interests lie at the intersections of art, culture, technology, and astrology. 

Instagram: @ohtheblooming

Website: ohtheblooming.com

By Carmela Cruz; February 2025; 20.8x13.4mm; 20 pages; Zine Shine 2025