RRCC

What’s inside??

The Northern Mirror is brought to you by:

The Red River Creatives Collective (RRCC) a fluid, umbrella entity for the Northern MN and ND arts scene, operating out of the Fargo/Moorhead area. This is intended to be a community-driven organizing space focused on prioritizing and uplifting disenfranchised voices, and creating solidarity among creatives.

Through both print and online publication of The Northern Mirror we strive to create a platform for experimental and under-represented artists in all disciplines, as well as a way to disseminate information regarding community resources, and cultural and educational opportunities.

RRCC strives to be an unconventional, multi-disciplinary arts organization that does not conform to the status quo. Our work is the building up and promoting of creators without the oppressive and classist nature of institutions and mainstream arts sector. As a result of this, we are self and community funded. We prioritize equitable representation of creators from diverse identities.

How do you become a member? If you picked up this zine, you already are! Submit an entry? Yup! Attended a Marker League event? Sure! Made a donation? Welcome to the team! You get the idea. If you want in, yer in.

The creative theme and writing prompt for this issue was…

Bringing Everyone Along

It means including folks with disabilities, chronic illness and mental illness. It’s meeting people where they are, while addressing problems with liberals & reformists. Tolerance and acceptance while maintaining boundaries. Anti-isolationism. Active listening. Choosing to attempt conflict resolution by meeting in person (it’ll probably take multiple sessions). Acknowledging mistakes and hypocrisy. Granting and accepting apologies. Doing the worksheets, diary cards, journal entries, whatever. Neighborhoodism. Making casseroles. Adventures in daily disabled living (Choose Your Own Adventure style?).
There are billboards in the Midwest that now say, “I voted for Trump. I made a mistake. I’m sorry!” There’s a sign that says “Old Glory” next to an American flag, sponsored by the local gun club, as if the flag isn’t its own sign of violence in itself. It was something of a redundancy.
Ya’ll, what do we do about the rural/urban divide?  How do we abolish car culture when the entire country is obsessed and our cities are barely walkable? How do you still get away with working from home, Janice? How do you stop data centers? How do you make people care enough to change?

This theme is meant to be an inspirational guide with which you may base your submission on. It is not meant to be a concrete thing to limit your work. You’re free to interpret the theme and incorporate it into your work at your own discretion. However, we are generally inclined to give preference in selecting those that address the theme, and specifically entries which come from BIPOC, LGBTQIA2s+ or neurodivergent/disabled folks.