Our goal is to build community by sharing our space through art & visual projects of our community members in our shops.
Join us Thursday January 25th, from 5-8pm, to meet Darriea Clark during The Dear Diary Zine Collective Artist Shelf Takeover.
The Dear Diary Zine Collective started when founder Darriea Clark combined two of her favorite interests: journaling and publishing. As a branch of her company Unblushing Media, the collective is an avenue for people to share their stories, build community, and see themselves in print. The group provides zine and journaling resources, hosts online and in-person events, and publishes a print collection called Dear Diary.
Touted as “a public sharing of private thoughts,” Dear Diary Issue 01 is a collection of diary entries from 27 contributors, 15 of whom are from Savannah. Through this work, writers, illustrators, and memory keepers share their experiences with love, loss, desire, frustration, and happiness. With entries as recent as December 2023 and as dated as July 1999, the book captures timestamps from varying life stages in 72 colorful and emotional pages.
A high school freshman details the worst day ever. “I got a C on my math quiz.” She continues, “Had a pep ralley and my fucking freshmen class was so immature.” An unemployed mom copes with the anxieties of caring for her children. “I need to figure something out..... Stripping!!” A grieving sister reflects on growing up in South Central LA. “Death came for you the way death comes for most of us hood kids…” A lover looks forward to cohabitating with her partner. “I want it. All of him. Every day, every way.”
“When we’re talking to our diaries, we’re talking to ourselves, so we have this line of communication that’s no longer performative,” Clark says. “I didn’t ask for polished, prepared pieces, because I want to remove the mask we put on for others. This zine peeks into the secret thoughts of the everyday person, allowing readers to find relatability in the words.”