WHY FOR US, BY US STORIES MATTER

Hi Zine Club,

I don’t have many updates for ya’ll but I wanted to share something that has been on my mind a lot lately. As somebody who gets asked a lot on why I started Cyclista Zine, I realize I rarely ever get to share the context of my personal convictions around publishing and why it’s critical to support BIPOC writers, artist, photographers, and publishers.

First, I really want folks to consider how we approach media by BIPOC and, generally media that is outside of our experiences and identity. Second, I want folks to think about the spaces in media and publishing that makes a lot of room for white mediocrity. BIPOC specifically know that white mediocrity is given space because the vast majority of cycling publishing is white and often the stories lack cultural sensitivity or context. There is a lot of passing the white supremacy baton meanwhile for BIPOC to gain ground in these spaces, we know for a fact that we have to be exceptional, which is also tied to the model minority myth, and the standard that is often how we break into systems. We see that a lot in how white publishers position BIPoC stories and the standards under the colonial gaze they hold to publish these stories. The thing is that there’s just not room made in publishing for white mediocrity but that mediocrity gets rewarded. I have too many stories from BIPOC creatives in cycling who get passed up in pitches and opportunities for white cis women to be the diversity narratives pushed. While art is subjective, I think if we build on consensus, we can come up with many examples of how harmful white mediocrity has been to non-white communities. And that rewarding white mediocrity exists in any system that upholds white supremacy.

I’m not saying that diverse stories are better but that we also need to uphold our own communities to the same standards as we try to decolonize and dismantle white supremacy through our own work. So, as we process stories that are not for us or about us, let's keep in mind the standards we hold to consuming narratives. While also keep in mind how BIPOC 'exceptionalism' in our stories of pain, trauma, history, or teaching somehow makes them worthy of sharing our stories.

While there has been a lot of pushback in publishing about centering white voices, even while telling BIPOC stories, I do think there are more important things to consider when wanting to diversify narratives. Like, who are the authors already telling these stories? How do we make space for BIPOC to share their own stories? How do we carve out more space in publishing for them to tell their stories? And how do we uplift BIPOC reviewers and influencers who share their thoughts and opinions? If the reaction is to further center whiteness, then it’s safe for me to say media and publishing spaces are not safe and should stop sharing BIPOC stories.

I’m especially not a fan of white journalists sharing stories or interviews of BIPOC because they often perpetuate palatability and often misrepresent a group. So while I do see the value of sharing our narratives, I also think white writers should be mindful of how they take up space from writers of color who are also trying to do the work where there is a lot of tokenism. If you do want to share a narrative, please approach it responsibly with accountability and by doing research while holding sensitivity for the communities you are writing on.

Because publishing and media is white-dominated, we really have to consider who is telling our stories. In the context of colonialism, racism, and oppression is the appropriation of or attempt to dissemate through forced assimilation our cultures and stories. Media has long been a tool of white supremacy and this is why talking about misrepresentation and underrepresentation matters because it influences how people who aren’t us, see us.

As someone who cares about these legacies and wants to dismantle structures, publishing is part of that. It matters who tells these stories, so part of the work with Cyclista Zine is also educating people on how to consume stories that are not about you or for you. Part of this work is also encouraging folks to write while rejecting assimilation to white patriarchal ideologies or gaze.

White people see themselves in media all the time, but it’s up to BIPOC to navigate ways of consuming media that isn’t about us, for us. So in the context of allowing white publishers to tell our stories, it’s not possible for white people to know the experiences of BIPOC, but it is possible for BIPOC to know the experiences of white people because we are forced to interact with it in a completely different way every day.

So I started this zine because I don’t think traditional publishing will dismantle itself and do the work to uplift writers and stories told by and for BIPOC. So if they won’t do it, then it’s up to us to disrupt the system.

So thank you for supporting this zine, believing in the work we do, and sticking with us as we continue to uplift and amplify our voices.