Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: Gidra
Founded in 1969 by a group of Asian American UCLA students, Gidra was a self-published magazine named after Godzilla’s rival King Ghiddorah. Gidra’s content stood in solidarity with the ongoing civil rights movements of the time.
The graphic language of Gidra reflects its radical politics and DIY origins: hand-drawn illustrations and comic strips alongside cut and paste layouts. These visuals were meant to appeal to emotions, as a way to break through the intellectualism and logic of white supremacy. They through Orientalist stereotypes and invited Asian Americans, which at the time was a newly coined political term, to redefine their identities and communities on their own terms.
Over time, the layouts became more visually provocative, featuring illustrations and satirical compositions more prominently. Behind the scenes, the publishers practiced consensus decision making and a non-hierarchical editorial structure. Hundreds of volunteers contributed to the issues over the magazine’s five-year run time.
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