HISSA was created as a community-driven zine project centred on South Asin stories. The goal was to produce something tangible and lasting. By inviting members of the South Asian diaspora to share personal stories, ideas, and creative expressions, the project formed a physical snapshot of lived experiences that could exist as a shared archive.
Planning the workshop was made easier through collaboration with the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, which generously provided the space. From the beginning, the project was designed to be playful and open-ended, with no strict themes or stylistic rules. Participants were encouraged to share whatever mattered to them, which helped create a wide range of contributions, including poetic, political, visual, and deeply personal work.
One of the main challenges was sourcing materials. Zine-making relies heavily on print media, and good-quality materials are increasingly difficult to find. The materials we did have felt precious, so we encouraged participants to come prepared with an idea before the workshop. This approach worked well, as most attendees arrived ready to create and were able to work with focus and intention.
The workshop itself had a strong turnout and an energizing atmosphere. The space quickly filled with conversation, cutting, writing, and sharing. Participants worked independently while also supporting one another, creating a sense of collective engagement. Contributors were given flexibility in how they worked, whether completing pages during the session, refining them later, or working digitally.
The most challenging phase was design and printing. Bringing together a wide range of handmade pages into a cohesive zine required careful decisions around layout and reproduction. Despite these challenges, we were able to produce a small but meaningful print run that respected each contribution. The zine will be revisited and reprinted in 2026, building on what was learned and continuing to grow this archive of shared experience.
