Cemeteries for the Future: A Single-Page Zine Workshop

If the tombstones of your ancestors (chosen or otherwise) asked questions, what would they be?

Join us on Thursday, January 16th at 6:30PM for an introductory workshop on zine-making!

In this workshop we’ll use the single-page zine to commemorate our big and little griefs and also those we don’t yet know the shape of (grief for the state of the world, grief for the death of a past self or belief, for the death of a dream, a fear, a tradition, a space/place/mindset we can no longer visit, for the death of a dear one, etc.) by reimagining the tombstone as a monument that can speak back –– a monument that can name our hurt but also metabolize it into resistance.

We will also explore our different relationships to customs and spaces of memorial and ask what we might still desire from our cemeteries –– what commemorations are missing? How might cemeteries become more integrated into our daily lives? What kinds of community organizing could emerge from such a space? Are there cemeteries we wish we could visit but no longer have access to? What does it mean to be buried in land? For those of us who are settlers, what does it mean to be buried in stolen land? These are just a few of the many questions we’ll explore in this workshop.

More about Jess Goldman

Jess Goldman is an anti-Zionist Jewish writer, comics artist, and amateur puppeteer based on the traditional, unceded lands of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Səlilwətaɬ, and Mʷməθkʷəy̓əm Nations. Their writing has been published in Maisonneuve, the CBC and Room Magazine. A graduate of UBC’s MFA in Creative Writing Program, their writing explores that sweet spot where Yiddishkayt and queer culture joyfully collide.

Reserve your tickets here!

More about Upstart & Crow:

Located on Granville Island, Upstart & Crow is a not-for-profit literary arts studio for curious readers and creative storytellers alike. We are international in our outlook, and local in our sensibilities. We create opportunities to surface new talent and champion bold ideas through events, workshops, literary launches, unique partnerships — and yes, we also sell books!

Health precautions:

We want this event to be safe for all. Masks are welcome, though we won’t enforce them. We hope that folks who come will be vaccinated and boosted and will stay home if they feel ill.

Accessibility:

The main studio of our shop is accessible for folks with mobility aids. There is a washroom on the main floor available for attendees. The bar will be stationed in our loft mezzanine, though we will have runners available to bring down drinks.

Questions: hello[at]upstartandcrow.com.