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ALL ABOUT
BIPAN
MAGAZINE

Free. Independent. Volunteer -Run.

MEET THE CREW

The Bipan team is a diverse group of creators that are working towards greater social change and decolonization across so-called Canada. We strive to continue to grow a community that is a safer space for all people.

Working on the Bipan team creates experience in journalism branching off to more specific areas of copywriting, digital design, and social media marketing.

CREW
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EDUCATION TEAM LEAD

Kirsten Dobler

ABOUT KIRSTEN: Kirsten, also known as Q̓aq̓uƛ̓amas, hails from the Liǧʷiɫdax̌ʷ, a southern group of the Kʷakʷakəw̓akʷ. She's deeply engaged in Indigenous language revitalization, particularly in developing Kʷak̓ʷala Lik̓ʷala programs. With a Master's in Indigenous Language Revitalization and an undergraduate degree in elementary education, Kirsten has taught in various settings, from public schools in Quebec to the Gitxaaɫa Nation. Now, she's committed to fostering safe and holistic learning environments in Liǧʷiɫdax̌ʷ territory, advocating for decolonial education.

@likwalamas

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LEAD DIGITAL DESIGNER

Jaymie Reafta

ABOUT JAYMIE: Jaymie Raefta is an Illustrator and Designer working on Treaty 6 Territory where they studied Psychology and Women & Gender studies at the University of Saskatchewan. Jaymie has worked in editorial illustration, 2D animation and layout design.

@jaymieraefta & @bigsofty__ 

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ASSISTANT COPY EDITOR

Gregory Ravenda

ABOUT GREGORY: Gregory is a Queer person residing on Treaty 6 Territory in so-called Alberta. Assisting with copy and editing at Bipan Mag allows him the opportunity to engage with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community; an integral part of his personal, professional, and academic life. When he doesn't have his nose buried in a novel or his eyes glued to the silver screen, you can find Gregory making delicious coffees at his day job as a barista. With a passion for film and media, Gregory writes reviews in their spare time.

@databandit

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QUEER TEACHER SUPPORT

Madison Demers

ABOUT MADISON: Madison, a queer educator from Mohkinstsis, is an activist and trauma awareness advocate. With degrees in biology (ecology and botany) and education, she integrates Indigenous ways of knowing into her teaching, emphasizing student-centered learning and mental health. Passionate about hiking and botany, Madison is a dedicated dog mom to Frankie, her Boxollie Bernese Mountain Dog. She's also a sci-fi fantasy writer, kickboxer, and meme-maker, striving to create safe environments for all. Since 2022, she's been instrumental in shaping Queer Teacher Support, a support group for 2SLGBTQQIAA+ educators at Bipan Support Services.

@ahsokateacher

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SUBMISSIONS COORDINATOR

Todd Sutherland

ABOUT TODD: Todd is currently completing his undergraduate degree in sociology before pursuing his masters in the field. He also works with vulnerable community members in supportive housing. He enjoys watching video essays that discuss political and cultural critiques. Since 2020, Todd has served as the Submission Coordinator at Bipan Mag. Working with a team of artists has been a highlight for Todd, who is passionate about education and elevating queer and marginalized folx in the community.

@toddsutherland

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LEAD COPYWRITER & EDITOR

Amanda Gómez Sánchez

ABOUT AMANDA: Amanda is a non-binary queer Venezuelan writer and organizer living in Mohkinstsis. They are community focused and co-founded The Hatch (@thehatchyyc), a community collaboration group, and Lavender Club (@lavenderclubyyc), a Sapphic events organizing group. Joining Bipan in 2021, they are currently the lead copywriter for the magazine. She is passionate about lifelong learning and encouraging others to stay curious and creative; he likes to pass time by being immersed in a book, or listening to podcasts.

@starsconnecting

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SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Ardith Wilson

ABOUT ARDITH: Ardith has been on the Bipan team for three years and has no plans on leaving any time soon. They are a lover of literature and cooking. Right now their current obsession is Baldur's Gate 3 and will chat off your ear about it if given the chance. When they are not reading or writing themselves Ardith loves going for walks in the amiskwaciwâskahikan river. Catch Ardith on our socials and be sure to say hi!

black nerd chornicles

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CONTENT CREATOR

Talia Maddalena

ABOUT TALIA: Talia is a transfemme writer and cat mama currently residing in Tkaronto. They use poetry as a medium to explore their lived experience as a femme-presenting highly sensitive person with sensory processing issues. Being part of the Bipan team since 2021, they enjoy having conversations with the Bipan artists and community members through cover artist interviews which gives her the chance to dive deep into people's personal and collective queer experiences.

@kmmmuse & @kmmmusings

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FOUNDER & EDITOR IN CHIEF

Sol Natal Rox

ABOUT NATAL: Founder & Editor in Chief of Bipan Mag Descendant of the Nahuas Cuscatlán, but born and raised within Treaty 8 of so-called Alberta. Natal Rox is a first generation settler, Teaching Artist and Wellness Counselor. As a late diagnosed Autistic person and reconnecting Native he lives as a curious being always ready to collaborate and create art. They are often seen backstage on film sets and all kinds of productions from Fashion Shows to Youth Conferences. Natal enjoys creating curriculums and workshops and believes in accessible education.
JOIN OUR TEAM

JOIN OUR TEAM

Bipan is looking to expand our team of volunteers.
All roles are remote and are unpaid volunteer positions.

Available Positions:

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Responsibilities: Aid in the creation of themed graphics for social media/website. Work as a Lead Digital Editor to execute designs for digital mag & Buy Me a Coffee merch. Gather inspiration for designs based on issue theme. Experience/skills required: Experience with Adobe apps such as Illustrator and photoshop. Experience with Canva. Understanding of design principles and knowledge of latest design trends. Time management and organizational skills. Amount of hours/week: Around 5 hours per week.

CONTENT CREATOR Responsibilities: Assist in finding local creatives/events to feature. Conduct research on featured guests/topics. Conduct interviews with planned interview questions. Write 800 to 1100 word articles based on research and interviews. Experience/skills required: Effective writing/communication skills. Strong research skills. Ability to match tone while letting your personality shine through. Knowledge of local creatives. Amount of hours/week: Around 5 hours per week.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANT Responsibilities: Conduct email outreach on behalf of Bipan Magazine. Assist in event planning and coordination such as team building initiatives internally and externally ex: “Community Prompt”/Bipan Team hangouts. Other administrative tasks as required. Experience/ skills required: Professional writing skills and ability to match tone according to brand. Highly organized. Social media management experience is an asset.

WHAT IS
BIPAN MAGAZINE?

Our goal is to stay free and accessible and continue to highlight people of the global majority.

Free Queer Media for those on Turtle Island!

Our team strives to make Bipan a safer place to experience representation and to embrace the queer community.

We are not an ego-based space, we do not claim to know everything on these topics nor shame those who have not been educated within them.

We have created 12 free-of-charge issues filled with queer education, resources, art and more.

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WHAT ARE
ZINES?

Zines are independent publications not mediated by mainstream publishers and are a form of counter-cultural production. The medium is also a hands-on method of creating and circulating materials that challenge dominant ideas around gender, racism, and sexuality

 

Zines are also known as fanzines, underground press, little magazines, small press & alternative publications. Formats include, but are not limited to: Art Zines, DIY Zines, Fanzines, Literary Zines, Personal Zines (also called Perzines), & Political Zines.

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Zines provide unique primary source material on contemporary histories and are often utilized as a medium for marginalized voices. Zines provide a cultural snapshot and provide local and historical value to the community.

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BIPANS LOGO:

BIPAN’s logo may appear simple, but it contains a number of elements that make up the Bipan brand.

First off, we have the colours: pink, yellow, blue and purple are the colours of the Bisexual and Pansexual flag; the two sexualities that make up the name “bi-pan”. Next is the galaxy element (demonstrated by the wavy lines and star) that has been a visual theme with Bipan since the beginning.

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Zooming out a bit, we see that the galaxy circle is also the iris of a cat eye; an homage to the mascot of Bipan, Lucas the black cat. The logo is grounded in a box, which symbolizes that Bipan is a magazine.

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Contact: dino.zittlau@gmail.com

BUY ME A
COFFEE

Looking for a way to
help support this volunteer-led organization?
Buy us a coffee!

As we continue to grow, donations will help us expand and enable us to broadcast 2SLGBTQQIAA-BIPOC voices more widely across Turtle Island.

Donate as little as $1!

How your donations support us:

FUNDING

We are volunteer-run and ad-free which means our funding only comes from our readership. To support us in our endeavour to continue sharing great content by and for Canadian 2SQT-BIPOC, we're asking for contributions to help grow our brand and our reach.

INDEPENDENCE

Bipan is independently published. This means we're not mediated by mainstream publishers; we are not bound by the traditional and systemic discrimination in which the media participates. We publish the content that we do, not only to highlight emerging artists and grassroots activism, but to also feature unique primary perspectives from marginalized voices.

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