Broke-Ass of the Week – The StreetWorthy Crew

Every week we feature a different person from the community shedding a little light on their life of brokeitude.  Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something about the human spirit'probably not.

Wanna be a Broke-Ass of the Week?  Holler at us here and we’ll send you the questionnaire.

The spiffiest looking people at UN Plaza. Clockwise from the top: Diego Gomez, Sarah Duval, Vicki Santillano, and Rita Sapunor

As you may know I got my start in all this madness by doing a zine and because of this I’m always a big supporter of them. I buy them when I can (or you can send me one for free if you’d like!) and I’m slowly growing my own little zine library.

When I went to the San Francisco Zine Festival last August, I was able to pick up some good additions to my collection, one of which was StreetWorthy Zine’s most recent issue: “The Artist’s Survival Guide to the Big City”.  Considering the kind of shit I’m into (and apparently you are too) it struck a nerve with me.  The best part is, they’ve got some really good tips in there.  Let’s see what else they have to say.  Xerox to the People!

Name: StreetWorthy Zine

Age: 2 1/2 years of laughter, tears and stapling parties.

Occupation: Struggling Artists/Independent Publishers

What neighborhood do you live in?: Wherever bookstores support local press–the Mission, mostly

Best money-saving tip: Time is money! If you can’t quit your day job, do some writing, doodling, or thinking while you’re on the clock. Don’t let the Man monopolize your mind, bro. Fuckin’ Nine Eleven, knamsayin’?

What do you refuse to spend money on?: Copies! Who can afford to drop $300 for a small-scale print run? One day we hope we’ll have an actual budget so we can have our zine printed on top-notch printers and artfully bound, but for now, xereox to the people! The distracted staff of office supply mega-stores have unwittingly subsidized many independent publishers like us.

Most expensive thing you’re ever bought: A big release party for our 4th issue.

How’d that feel?: Great! And we even made a profit! Who says you can’t make money from independent publishing?

Favorite cheap eat: Papusas in Civic Center Plaza.

Best deal you’ve ever gotten: All sorts of things from the Really Really Free Market. It meets the last Saturday of every month in Dolores Park, and yes–everything’s free! Really!

Favorite free thing to do: Divisadero Art Walk

If you woke up a millionaire, what’s the first thing you’d buy?: Large-scale distribution, baby. Get our shit in Borders! Even if we don’t shop there.

Despite not having money, do you still love your life: We love life because we don’t have money. Psyche! That would be stupid. Life’s aight.

Do you own my book?: One of us does. The rest of us broke-asses borrowed it.

Best hangover cure: Brunch. Let’s all eat a big, greasy meal and re-hash party highlights! It’ll sooth both your stomach and that lurking sense of depression and regret. MMM, frittatas!

Are you a hipster?: No. We like straightforwardness more than irony and we’re suckers for bikes with breaks.