About Sister District Sacramento

From Pamphlets to Power: How Zines Fuel Grassroots Movements

April 28, 2025

For centuries, dissidents, underrepresented voices, and marginalized communities have harnessed the written word to challenge power and share their truths. Long before social media or digital newsletters, zines served as essential tools for educating and organizing.

This lineage runs deep. From Thomas Paine’s Common Sense to Margaret Fuller and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s The Dial in the 1840s, and even Benjamin Franklin’s early literary efforts on behalf of psychiatric patients, the printed page has always been a space for resistance and imagination. In the 20th century, zines emerged from the margins of science fiction fandom, Black literary movements like those during the Harlem Renaissance, and radical art movements such as Dada. These small, self-published works defied mainstream media, offering a DIY platform for voices excluded from traditional publishing. Zines weren't just art—they were calls to action.

At Sister District, we honor this tradition by uplifting grassroots power in every form. Like the creators of zines and pamphlets before us, we believe in the radical act of speaking out, organizing locally, and making sure every voice is heard—especially in state legislatures, where so much of our future is decided.

By: Sister District Sacramento Editorial Team

You want us to do what? Even though we have to stop the mess in D.C. to get policies that support the environment, women, immigrants, LGBTQ+ and people of all backgrounds, we are putting our focus on winning state races. Why? Lots of good reasons!

'State' the issues: California: There's a lot to love about California. We still have work to do, but we're leaders on environment, labor, and LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive freedom, equal justice, etc. Elswehere: Some other states have banned books, restricted abortion and voting rights, and hassled immigrants. It's bad. What happens there affects us, too. Our Task: We have to fix the problem states and keep the blue state blue. We must defend fair elections!

We know how to win! 3 elections, 3 wins = 100%. It doesn't take Albert Einstein to figure out our success rate. In 2024, Sister District Sacramento tackled three races and won all three. In North Carolina, we ended a supermajority House stranglehold. In Arizone, we kept Rep. Lorena Austin's seat and elected Kevin Volk to the Arizon House, ousting a MAGA extremist.

Sister District's Secret Sauce. We find winnable districts with a lot at stake, but where vote margins are expected to be slim. Compared to a national campaign, we do more with the same dollars, votes, and volunteers. That's leverage to make a purple state blue or flip a district. Small elections, small margins, and small money needs make a big difference.

Blue is not Sad. Virginia's 100 member House of Delegates not has a Democratic majority. As the only swing state with an election cycle in 2025, Virginia is a Sister District focus. We can't let Virginia become a sad red state. We have to defend reproductive freedoms in Virginia. We can have a big impact, and maybe even flip some of the red delegates to blue!

Taking the long view. We work on short-term campaigns, but Sister District is in this for the long haul. The progress we seek won't happen overnight. We have been moving forward for nearly a decade, with a multi-year plan for winning victories across the United States. It isn't just about flipping seats. It's about building lasting power for the people. All people.

Winning isn't all we do. Some people want to build walls to divide us. We build connections. Our State Bridges program supports effective grassroots nonprofits in other states. Those groups advocate for change at the state level and are inclusive of marginalized communities. We are building bridges. State Bridges is like mutual aid. It makes us stronger.

Want to do something? Here's how: The new Virginia Majority Education Fund empowers people to make positive change through community-based organizing. Visit https://bit.ly/3Y9g06Q (or click the link on this image) to donate.

Page updated

Report abuse