This weekend marks the eighth annual Chicago Zine Fest. Though this celebration of independent publishing and zine culture (zine is short for magazine or fanzine, and pronounced “zeen”) isn’t unique to the city of Chicago—the history of zines dates back to the publication of pulpy science-fiction books in the 1930s—this annual celebration has grown to encompass vast swaths of Chicago’s independent spirit.

In addition to the fest itself—which features hundreds of people selling their works—each year has seen Chicago Zine Fest extending its connection to Chicago through a series of workshops and readings. In 2017, the slate of events is more robust than ever before. The opening of Chicago Zine Fest will take place at the Co-Prosperity Sphere and feature a panel on how zines can be used as self-care, followed by a selection of readings from writers exhibiting at the fest. But on Saturday, there will be a selection of panels and workshops meant to inspire people to get involved with independent publishing in the here and now.

Alex Nall has been an organizer of Chicago Zine Fest for the past three years, and a cartoonist for even longer. After moving to Chicago in 2011, Nall found a home alongside other zinesters, “I kind of fell in love with the city, and that community, specifically,” he said, in an interview with Chicago Ideas. This year, Nall is using his experience as a teaching artist to connect Zine Fest to Chicago’s youth. On Saturday afternoon, he’ll host a workshop titled, “Zines: The Next Generation,” putting a spotlight on the youngest creators in the Zine Fest community, and allowing them to put their self-published works on display, while also offering insight into how zine culture is evolving.

“I work at an elementary school, so I was able to get younger kids involved,” said Nall, noting that he’s putting an emphasis on getting high school students throughout Chicago involved as well. “It’s important for them, because it’s great to see their work get circulated just as much as someone who has been making zines or comics for 10 or 20 years,” said Nall, going on to note that the money kids make from selling their zines can even be filtered back into their schools.

But it’s not just that recognition that makes zine-making such a crucial skill for Chicago’s youth, it also allows for voices that aren’t often heard to have a platform. By subverting traditional publishing methods, zines allow for voices that are often overlooked by large-scale publishers to be given a space, lending them exposure, and the chance to speak openly about their life experiences.

Nall notes that it’s important for spaces like this to exist, especially at a time when the cultural conversation is often quick to shutout voices that are deemed to be smaller or less important.

”We’re living in times when marginalized or disenfranchised voices are not getting heard. Zine Fest is a place where you can find a zine on almost anything, written by anybody. It’s not going to be something that is edited or stripped-down for language or emotion, it’s going to be raw and honest. I think that’s the kind of stuff we need to be seeing out in the world right now.”

And it’s that belief that continues to serve as Chicago Zine Fest’s driving force.“I think anyone who is interested in writing, drawing, publishing, community organizing, this is a fest that really highlights those aspects of it,” said Nall. And as more creators of all ages, races, genders and backgrounds continue to get involved, it helps to not just bring new ideas and perspectives, it offers innovative paths forward for those in need of it most. “It’s a culture that needs to be supported,” said Nall, “Especially in a city like Chicago.”

Chicago Zine Fest takes place on May 5 at the Co-Prosperity Sphere (3219 S Morgan St.) and May 6 at the Plumber’s Union Hall (1340 W. Washington Blvd.), with all details on workshops, panels and start-times available here.