The Weave: A student-made zine by the Women’s Resource Centre

What is The Weave? 

Every semester, volunteers at the Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) come together to create a zine known as The Weave. The Weave is a student-made publication that reflects the voices, ideas and experiences of the volunteers involved. Each edition features creative submissions like writing, art, poetry, collage and more, making every issue unique. 

The story behind the zine 

Before The Weave, the WRC previously published a more formal magazine called Our Voices until 2020. The Weave officially started in 2012 as an initiative by a former volunteer, Nicole Foussekis, as a collection of artwork and reflections of events throughout the year.

Its name reflects its purpose.  

“The Weave’s name was chosen to simulate weaving all the stories and voices of all the volunteers together to invoke community," says Charli, co-op student and program assistant at the WRC. 

Today, the zine has evolved in both style and content, with each semester bringing new themes, formats and creative ideas. While the look of the zines change from edition to edition, its purpose has stayed the same: to create a space where volunteers can express themselves and feel part of a larger community. 

What The Weave means for volunteers 

For many volunteers, The Weave is more than just a creative project. It often feels like a keepsake, almost like a yearbook for the semester.  

“The Weave ends up presenting itself, to me at least, as a tapestry of the lives of those that volunteer at the WRC,” long-time volunteer Ariana reflects. 

No matter how long or short a volunteer’s time at the WRC is, the zine becomes a snapshot of their experience and the community they were a part of, even if it was only for a few months. 

According to Charli, it “acts as an archival piece, like a time capsule highlighting all the things that happened throughout the years.” 

Through The Weave, each person gets to share their own perspectives while learning about others’. It’s also a space where volunteers can share thoughts, feelings and creative work they might not be able to share elsewhere. 

How the zine is made each semester 

Most WRC volunteers take part in creating The Weave, along with practicum students who can log their contributions toward project hours. Each edition usually starts with a theme, but volunteers aren’t limited to it.  

As submissions come in, the zine often grows beyond its original concept, making space for anything volunteers want to share. Volunteers also take part in assembling the zine, with physical copies printed and folded by hand. 

Where to find The Weave 

You can find physical copies of The Weave in the WRC’s library throughout the semester. Digital editions are also available online through an open Bookcase link. Browse through different editions and take a look at what fellow studentsand volunteers have created! 

“I am surrounded by such lovely people all the time and [the WRC] is a place where so many people share the same values, which is comforting,” Ariana shares. “It's given me a space where I can actually express myself openly and also advocate and participate in things that I actually care about.”

If you’re interested in creativity, community and volunteering, the WRC is always welcoming new volunteers each semester.