Mosquito Press

In 1916, the printed word was the dominant means of communication with newspapers, posters, fliers, postcards on every street corner – and it was a key tool for activists to report what was actually happening on the ground.

Guerilla printing presses produced cheap, short-lived newspapers to disseminate their message – one that was anti-authoritarian and radical. These newspapers became known as the “Mosquito Press” by the authorities. As soon as the authorities shut one down, another one took its place. Like mosquitos, these presses were small but left a stinging bite.

As part of the March for Choice 2016, I created and facilitated a 1916-style Mosquito Press to capture the spirit of the day by creating a living, breathing newspaper.

March attendees created drawings, articles, puzzles, poetry and more – capturing the emotion of the day. These were coupled with submissions that had been selected as part of an Open Submission Callout. All these creative contributions were cut and pasted – old-school style – by a team of Copy Girls and Boys creating a limited edition newspaper.