Mala

Voices from the male and female sides of the Chicano/a (Xicano/a) "movimiento." While both feel the sting of American racism and question their roles as activists, mestiza ex-punk Bianca Ortiz focuses more on sexism, both in relationships and in media. Utilizing images from both "high" and "low," culture, she writes about relating to the vaguely racist stock character "Adelita" and her dislike of the "Homies" doll series, which depicts over-racialized Latinas. There are contributions by her friends about Latina bodies and also articles on "speaking street," the working class, and a satire of "Save the Last Dance" called "Save the Last Cumbia." Alejandro's side of this zine, split with "Mala," describes his life as an angry Xicano, as he works to repair his relationships with white people without destroying his strong sense of self. A former elementary school teacher, Perez wonders if mixed "raza" classes harm children, and rails against the oppressive class and race system, particularly in his home town of San Antonio. Chicano and white, he struggles to learn his native language and accept his heritage while connecting his struggle to historical struggles against race, class, and gender. A self-identifying feminist man, his typed zine uses clip art, photobooth photos, and cartoons to illustrate his words.