A Zine can be a lot of things. But usually it's a folded piece of paper showing off someone’s art that’s shared around a community by leaving it at libraries or selling it at a gathering. They have a long history of being associated with countercultural movements. Walking around Baton Rouge’s Zinefest, there are all sorts of booths. From talking about trans joy to how the CIA used art as a Psyop, Louisiana Zinesters had plenty of stories to tell.
Countercultures converge at the Baton Rouge Zinefest
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People wander through a conference room in the East Baton Rouge Libraries central branch talking with Zinesters peddling their wares on Aug. 1, 2025. This is the first year this event was put on and featured Zinesters from across the state. (WRKF/Alex Cox)
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Sophie Zigler stands in front of the two tables of the organizations they represent in Baton Rouge on Aug. 1, 2025. The organizations are Mapping Trans Joy, a global joy is resistance project documenting trans and queer narratives, and Screaming Into the Future, a Baton Rouge based zine publishing house and pop up library. (WRKF/Alex Cox)
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Rob Stephens (Left) and Bob Stephens (Right) present Rob’s comic zines, a lot of which are autobiographical, at the Baton Rouge Zinefest on Aug. 1, 2025. One of Rob’s most popular zines is titled How to Kiss Real Good and he says “ And it will improve your kissing, like 100% guaranteed.” (WRKF/Alex Cox)
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Tiffany R. Smith, a doctoral candidate at LSU’s Manship School, tables at the Baton Rouge Zinefest showing off various zines on Aug. 1, 2025. The zine she is holding is discussing how the CIA used abstract expressionism as a PSYOP “because nothing says freedom like a painting no one could explain.” (WRKF/Alex Cox)
