Revolutionary Women: A Book of Stencils

A radical feminist history and street art resource for inspired readers! This book combines short biographies with striking and usable stencil images of thirty women—activists, anarchists, feminists, freedom-fighters, and visionaries. By Queen of the Neighbourhood.

It offers a subversive portrait history which refuses to belittle the military prowess and revolutionary drive of women, whose violent resolves often shatter the archetype of woman-as-nurturer. It is also a celebration of some extremely brave women who have spent their lives fighting for what they believe in and rallying supporters in climates where a woman's authority is never taken as seriously as a man's. The text also shares some of each woman's ideologies, philosophies, struggles, and quiet humanity with quotes from their writings or speeches.

The women featured are: Harriet Tubman, Louise Michel, Vera Zasulich, Emma Goldman, Qiu Jin, Nora Connolly O'Brien, Lucia Sanchez Saornil, Angela Davis, Leila Khaled, Comandante Ramona, Phoolan Devi, Ani Pachen, Anna Mae Aquash, Hannie Schaft, Rosa Luxemburg, Brigitte Mohnhaupt, Lolita Lebron, Djamila Bouhired, Malalai Joya, Vandana Shiva, Olive Morris, Assata Shakur, Sylvia Rivera, Haydée Santamaría, Marie Equi, Mother Jones, Doria Shafik, Ondina Peteani, Whina Cooper, and Lucy Parsons.

Praise:

"What you hold in your hands is a lethal weapon. Revolutionary Women: A Book of Stencils is a threat to the status quo and a dangerous wake-up call to every person who has ever dared to think for themselves. … I believe the words and art in this book have the power to mobilize a revolution. Rise up and let’s join them now!”
--Wendy-O Matik, author of Redefining Our Relationships: Guidelines for Responsible Open Relationships

"This book cunningly uses the modern style of stencilling to make icons of some key figures in feminist movement. Readers are invited to spread their images across t-shirts, walls, and pavements to let the world know who really deserves to be remembered."
--Gareth Shute, author of Hip Hop Music in Aotearoa

"The beauty and simplicity of message is stark in this zine. It is lovingly earnest with its handcrafted cut and pastes. The snippets are well-worded, the quotes cleverly chosen. The silhouettes of fearless females are striking. Overwhelmingly, one is left with a sense of the near universal absence of images of revolutionary women.  From now on, every time I see a Che Guevara portrait, I will wonder about his many, unheralded and invisible sisters."
--Karlo Mila, author of Dream Fish Floating

"What an amazing creative way to magnify, and illuminate the courage of 30 Sheroes whose courage, leadership and character is symbolic of the many unsung Women Sheroes of past and present."
--Emory Douglas, Former Black Panther Party Member, Revolutionary Artist & Minister of Culture

About Queen of the Neighborhood:

Queen of the Neighbourhood Collective is an all-women crew of writers, researchers, editors and graphic designers originally hailing from Aotearoa/New Zealand. Drawing on backgrounds from disparate worlds in zine-making, art, activism and academia, this is Queen of the Neighbourhood's first book.