Health & Human services

Zine Project 2023

Press Release: Health Department Receives $100,000 to Increase Inclusivity within Public Health Preparedness Planning and Response | Memo to Mayor and City Council

Downloadable Flyers: English | Spanish | Tagalog | Khmer

The City’s Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) Program has partnered with local non-profit organization, Able ARTS Work, to host a series of “zine” making workshops. 

Pronounced like "zine" in the word "magazine", zines are a one of a kind, small-scale, self-published, independently made booklets. They can focus on a specific theme or subject and when shared, can educate and inspire change. Zines are part of DIY (do-it-yourself) culture. Anything can be put in a zine. Learn more about a zine here.

Purpose
The purpose of these workshops is to provide the Long Beach community an opportunity to share their COVID-19 pandemic experiences using an artistic outlet – zine making. The zines provide PHEM an alternative approach to collecting information and engaging with the community. This approach is dedicated to creating an inclusive conversation around public health emergency response and wellness. Conversations center on nuanced and often underrepresented narratives in public health emergency planning that allows for different messages and voices from the community. 

The zines will support the PHEM Program in better understanding the diverse needs of the community during a public health emergency and improve existing efforts in developing more inclusive public health emergency planning and response processes. This will ensure that regardless of ability, all community members have equitable access to emergency information, resources, and services.

The PHEM Program is dedicated to building trust with the Long Beach community by intentionally creating opportunities for community engagement and dialogue. We welcome everyone and encourage community members of all abilities to participate in the zine workshops. Workshop participants will receive a free preparedness kit! 

For more information: 
If you have any questions or would like more information, please email he-preparedness@longbeach.gov 

Grant Funding 
The zine workshops are made possible by grant funding received from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services' PHEM Program were awarded funding to address the needs of people with disabilities and others with access or functional needs to better integrate inclusive considerations into public health emergency preparedness planning. 

Zine Workshop Schedule