In Huntington Park, a zine club offers refuge amid fear and uncertainty

Every other Wednesday evening in Huntington Park, a group of local artists gathers — not around easels or in a studio, but on Zoom. With paper, pencils and imagination in hand, they are members of the Gallo Giro Zine Club, a grassroots art collective rooted in creative expression and community healing.

Their preferred medium is a do-it-yourself small booklet that can take many forms. Whether through drawings, poems, essays, collages, photography or a combination of all these, zines provide an accessible and deeply personal way to tell stories, process emotions and share ideas.

Blanca Carla Arriaga, also known as Blancis, founded the group in 2023 out of a desire to create an accessible art space rooted in her community. “I didn't see that there were any zine clubs here in southeast L.A. I would have to leave to, like, Long Beach or to Downtown to join a zine club,” said Arriga. “For someone who… [doesn't] drive, I use public transportation, I was like, ‘there has to be a better way’. I wanted a space… in my neighborhood.”

Initially, she selected Gallo Giro restaurant as the club's meeting spot because it was welcoming and rooted in the local community. “It feels like we're in casita, because it's literally what [I] grew up with, puerquitos and tortas, and then, like, the colors just felt very much like home,” she said.

When devastating wildfires swept through L.A. neighborhoods early this year, the club moved online out of concern for members' health. “We've been predominantly doing online versions as a way to take care of each other… we didn't want folks to be out and breathing in everything that was in the air,” she explained.

The meetings became a space that responds to the community's needs. During this time, one member created a zine about different types of masks and the importance of wearing one, shared Arriaga. The group collaborated to translate the zine into Spanish, allowing it to be distributed more widely.

“You don’t have to draw. You don’t have to be a zine veterana or expert,” Arriaga said. She encourages people of all backgrounds and skill levels to participate, emphasizing that zine-making is open to all forms of expression. Whether it’s photography, drawing, poetry or even stickers, any creative medium is welcome.

Built with love, sustained by community

The artist’s younger sister, Genesis Arriaga, has been a constant presence since the club’s inception. On that very first day, she tagged along out of concern that no one else would show up — and she didn’t want her sister to face it alone. “At first, she was just there for support and now she’s making zines left and right.”

Genesis now serves as the club’s co-organizer and handles their social media. 

“The club has become a place where my creativity really came to be and blossom. Beforehand, I felt like I really was not artistic at all and I truly feel like that has changed by making zines,” said Genesis in an email to CALÓ News. “Being in community with the people who share the same interest or live nearby has been a very eye-opening experience and continues to be.”

One of the most welcoming aspects of the Gallo Giro Zine Club is its come-as-you-are approach. Rather than pressuring participants to arrive with a polished idea, the club encourages them to start with their interests.

"What we're going to do," she explained, "[is] try to figure out what are you interested in, and how can we translate that into a zine?” said Arriaga. She especially loves offering blank zine templates to help with the process. One of those invites participants to share their favorite songs, making the creative practice feel less intimidating. "You don't have to think about, ‘oh my God, what is a zine going to be about,’" she said.

This method has created a space where participants can safely identify and process their emotions. In response to recent immigration raids, the group has been reflecting on the impact of the current climate. In one of their sessions, she provided members with a prompt: What brings you joy these days? It was a gentle way to explore difficult emotions during a time when anxiety and fear were becoming constant companions.

Processing fear through creativity

While the virtual format lacks the tactile warmth of meeting over aguas frescas and shared art supplies, it has opened new avenues for members to care for one another. Some of them have created zines that offer practical tools, including “Know Your Rights,” which provides information on what to do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is at the door.  

For the founder, zine-making has become an act of self-preservation. “I tend to freeze up,” she admitted. “I've really been leaning in on zines to just like get myself out of my brain and really just kind of release… get all the feelings out and then regroup.”

A playful offshoot has also taken root: Pollitos Zine Club, a kid-friendly sister group created in partnership with ArtSpace HP to introduce zine-making to the youngest creatives. Hosted atArtSpace HP, the club meets every second Saturday, offering little ones a chance to explore ideas through art. Their upcoming meeting is scheduled forAug. 10 at 2 p.m.

For the founder, the zine club is more than a creative outlet — it’s a lifeline. “Through all this,” she said. “We need spaces to just be together... to fuel, to re-energize, to you know bring a little joy.” In a moment marked by fear and uncertainty, she sees joy itself as a radical act, and zines as part of that resistance.

Even when in-person gatherings had to pause, she refused to cancel the meetings, remaining committed to creating a space where people could “desahogar,” or let go, and feel held by the community.

“Right now, the role of the artist is just as important as the role of an individual who's going out to protest, [or as the] role of someone who is calling their congress [member].” Art, for her, isn’t a side note to the movement — it’s the fuel and the support.

The group meets twice a month, every other Wednesday, with the next session happening on Aug. 20 from 8 to 10 p.m. Those interested in joining are encouraged to follow the group’s Instagram account for updates.