EmpowerINK
Damonte Ranch High School's Feminist Zine Club
EmpowerINK is a student-led feminist zine collective at Damonte Ranch High School dedicated to amplifying youth voices, celebrating intersectional feminism, and fostering creative resistance through art and writing. Rooted in the DIY spirit of traditional zines, our club provides a brave and collaborative space for students of all genders to explore topics ranging from body autonomy and reproductive justice to gender stereotypes, mental health, and cultural identity.
The club started with small gatherings where students shared stories, frustrations, inspirations, and dreams. From there, we began crafting our first zine: a collection of poems, essays, collages, interviews, and even handwritten rants on everything from toxic beauty standards to being the only girl in AP Comp Sci.
Some of the most powerful moments have come from the conversations sparked by our zines. We’ve talked about how to be a better ally, what it means to grow up with conflicting cultural expectations, how to call out sexist dress codes, and how to navigate feminism in spaces that still feel unsafe or silencing. These weren’t just club meetings. They were consciousness-raising sessions, healing circles, and brainstorm hubs for real change.
Our goal with EmpowerINK is to inspire dialogue, deepen awareness, and remind our community that feminism isn’t a phase or a label—it’s a lifelong commitment to equity, care, and transformation. Our wish is that each zine we release becomes a ripple, encouraging others to listen harder, speak louder, and imagine bolder futures.
Today, EmpowerINK is both a physical zine circle and a digital platform. Through EmpowerINK.co, we share our work with the world and invite submissions from young creatives everywhere. Our goal: to confront injustice, amplify marginalized voices, and prove that art can be a weapon for change.
The Creative Director
Maya Zankowski
EmpowerINK was founded by Maya Zankowski, who wanted to create a space where she and others could engage in open, safe, and creative conversations about feminism. At a time when many students felt isolated in their beliefs or unsure how to express them, Maya envisioned a community where ideas could be shared freely — through writing, art, and dialogue — and where young people could find solidarity, courage, and clarity.
When she’s not crafting emboldened zines, Maya can be found figure skating, weight lifting, playing the cello (works by marginalized women composers), writing op-eds on issues she’s passionate about, or baking macarons. No matter what she’s doing, she’s always looking for new ways to make the world a little braver, kinder, and more creative.