
From Boston Anarchist Bookfair
BABF 2024 is on the way!
Get ready for the 2024 Boston Anarchist Bookfair on October 19-20 at the Cambridge Community Center, where we’re hosting a bookfair celebrating anarchism and its many forms. It’s the spot where authors, publishers, activists, and community gather for one of the longest running radical bookfairs in Boston.
Got questions or itching to get involved? Hit us up. See you there!
Feel free to contact us with any inquiries or to express interest in participating at bostonanarchistbookfair@gmail.com. We are looking forward to it!
About the Boston Anarchist Bookfair
An anarchist bookfair is a dynamic gathering that embraces the principles of anarchism—a philosophy rooted in voluntary cooperation, mutual aid, and challenging hierarchical structures. It’s an exciting space where authors, publishers, activists, and individuals from diverse backgrounds come together to explore alternative perspectives, exchange ideas, and question conventional notions of power and authority.
A Rich History of Empowering Ideas
The Boston Anarchist Bookfair boasts a legacy that traces back to its establishment in 2011. Evolving from it’s grassroots beginnings into a highly anticipated annual event, the bookfair has consistently served as an influential platform for disseminating ideas that challenge oppressive systems and inspire positive transformations. Central to the bookfair’s core values is an unwavering dedication to dismantling various forms of oppression, including white supremacy, fascism, colonialism, capitalism, and patriarchy.
As we gather at the next Boston Anarchist Bookfair, we also take this opportunity to uplift and celebrate the tireless efforts of anarchists and activists worldwide who work in solidarity towards a shared vision of a more just and liberated world. From grassroots movements to community organizing, their persistent dedication has paved the way for positive change and inspired countless individuals to challenge oppressive systems. This bookfair serves as a nexus for fostering connections and collaborations, allowing us to learn from one another’s experiences and successes. By recognizing and supporting the ongoing work of anarchists in solidarity, we renew our commitment to collective action and the continued pursuit of social justice. Together, we stand united, knowing that our shared journey towards a more compassionate and equitable society is stronger when we support each other’s endeavors.
Informed by the principles of anarchism and wider leftist thought, the bookfair encourages the cultivation of radical imagination. Through collective dreaming, we aspire to craft a future characterized by voluntary cooperation, mutual aid, and equitable relationships. This aspirational vision serves as the groundwork for forging a more just and liberated world.
Looking forward to welcoming you to this year’s event!
Workshop & Tabling Proposals
The Boston Anarchist Bookfair affirms and promotes values of mutual aid, direct democracy, anti-authoritarianism, autonomy, free association, and solidarity.
You do not need to self-describe as an anarchist to participate, run a workshop or be a vendor at the bookfair. However, we are firm in our opposition to capitalism, imperialism, patriarchy, heterosexism, transphobia, racism, colonialism, statism, fascism, slavery and all other forms of oppression; we may prohibit groups and individuals from tabling or presenting if they perpetuate or promote these attitudes.
We say "workshop" to mean any activity or event you may want to lead -- this can be a panel, a hands-on skill-share, a film showing, or something we have not even thought of yet!
To lead a workshop (or whatever) at this year's fair, please fill out the form below and await our confirmation. Our collective operates by consensus, so please be patient as we go through all of our requests!
To set up a table at this year's fair, please fill out the form below and await our confirmation. Our collective operates by consensus, so please be patient as we go through all of our requests!
We ask for a sliding scale donation from all of our vendors so that we can pay for rental of the CCC as well as other expenses involved in running and promoting the bookfair.
Two or more tables - $100-200
One Table - $20-100+
ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION
Physical space
The tabling takes place in the gym of the CCC. It can be accessed from Howard Street through a set of double doors. The entrance/gym are level with the sidewalk. This is the main entrance we will use for the book fair.
The bathrooms and workshop space can be accessed from the gym via a ramp on the left side of the gym, as well as a ramp or a small set of stairs on Callender Street. (This is the main address of the building, but we encourage folks to enter through the gym primarily)
This year, we may also be utilizing the basement of the CCC. Unfortunately, the basement is not wheelchair accessible and is connected to the other parts of the building by stairs. We will do our best to ensure hybrid/remote access to any workshops or activities taking place there, or move stuff around as requested.
A map with emergency exits and a general layout of the space (and parking tips) will be sent out before the bookfair, but please email us if you have any specific questions!
COVID-19 Mitigations:
Please do not come if you are feeling sick, have tested positive for COVID-19 within 10 days of the bookfair, or have been recently exposed to someone with COVID-19.
- We encourage everyone attending the bookfair to monitor their symptoms and test before arriving if that is accessible to you.
- Masks (KF94, KN95, N95) are required for everyone at this event. Masks must be worn over your nose and mouth at all times inside of the space.
- If you need an exemption from our mask requirement, please email us at least 2 weeks before the bookfair so that we can arrange an accommodation for you.
- Please bring your own mask! But we will also be providing them at the entrance as needed.
- If you're unable to wear a mask, please email us in advance to discuss. We may be able to offer exemptions or alternatives under certain circumstances.
- This event does not require vaccination to attend, and we do not ask to see your vaccine card
-Depending on the status of COVID-19 in the Boston area, we may add additional precautions, or we may be forced to cancel in-person tabling altogether if the caseload in Massachusetts is too high
- We will have air purifiers with HEPA or MERV13 filtration throughout the space as well as Far-UVC lights. Ventilation will be adjusted and monitored throughout the fair.
We will do our best to respond to all table submissions in a timely manner.
Thanks in advance for your patience!
Comments
when will the masking for
anon (not verified) Sat, 07/27/2024 - 17:54
when will the masking for covid end?
what the fuck?
is this how it just is now?
fucking lame and non-anarchist.
another "anarchist" event that won't be attended by many real anarchists.
NICE TRY, FBI.
anon (not verified) Sat, 07/27/2024 - 19:57
In reply to when will the masking for by anon (not verified)
NICE TRY, FBI.
YOU
WILL NOT
UNMASK US!
BOLD PLAY, CIA!
anon (not verified) Sun, 07/28/2024 - 10:09
In reply to NICE TRY, FBI. by anon (not verified)
BOLD PLAY, CIA!
YOU WILL NOT
MUZZLE US!
lol
anon (not verified) Sun, 07/28/2024 - 14:53
In reply to BOLD PLAY, CIA! by anon (not verified)
you believe a mask is a muzzle? what sort of weakling are you?
I think accessibility is sexy!
You are a real meanie to call
anon (not verified) Sun, 07/28/2024 - 15:48
In reply to lol by anon (not verified)
You are a real meanie to call me weak. Masks literally cause me extreme emotional stress because of something that happened to me which I don't want to explain, let's just say I was trapped in a room for months by people that threatened to hurt me if I left. Just seeing somebody wearing a mask triggers me, I get panic attacks when I am watching TV and a hospital drama comes on. You say you like accessibility but you are completely insensitive to my pain, YOU MONSTER!
Men would rather put others
anon (not verified) Sun, 07/28/2024 - 16:32
In reply to You are a real meanie to call by anon (not verified)
Men would rather put others at risk during a global pandemic than go to therapy for their trauma am i right
men?
anon (not verified) Sun, 07/28/2024 - 17:24
In reply to Men would rather put others by anon (not verified)
men?
Umm Sweaty did you just
anon (not verified) Sun, 07/28/2024 - 18:02
In reply to Men would rather put others by anon (not verified)
Umm Sweaty did you just ASSUME my GENDER?
"Global pandemic"?
anon (not verified) Sat, 08/03/2024 - 19:54
In reply to Men would rather put others by anon (not verified)
That was two years ago. Chasing ghosts maybe?
one word: "Boston"
anon (not verified) Sat, 07/27/2024 - 21:50
In reply to when will the masking for by anon (not verified)
I just wonder hos these neoliberal puritans are gonna manage to enforce their policies without a police around.
No wait...
One word: Nice try, FBI. You
anon (not verified) Sat, 07/27/2024 - 22:39
In reply to one word: "Boston" by anon (not verified)
One word: Nice try, FBI. You will not unmask us.
that's more than one word,
anon (not verified) Mon, 07/29/2024 - 12:41
In reply to One word: Nice try, FBI. You by anon (not verified)
that's more than one word, and nobody wants to see yer ugly mug anyway.
wow. damn. fuck.
anon (not verified) Sun, 07/28/2024 - 17:26
wow. damn. fuck.
now anytime anarchists want to be autonomous and free and not play into the systems scare tactics and mass conformity they are called FBI?!?!
fucking idiot slaves.
You seem to be who is
anon (not verified) Sun, 07/28/2024 - 18:08
In reply to wow. damn. fuck. by anon (not verified)
You seem to be who is frightened here, of a mask no less.
But seriously, you want to say wearing a mask is like being a slave?? That analysis is just laughable, to say the least.
I'm frightened by you, the
anon (not verified) Sun, 07/28/2024 - 18:40
In reply to You seem to be who is by anon (not verified)
I'm frightened by you, the future of the Democratic Party
wait you are frightened by
anon (not verified) Sun, 07/28/2024 - 22:35
In reply to I'm frightened by you, the by anon (not verified)
wait you are frightened by democrats, imaginary ones at that...dang...
I mean, I'm afraid of yuppie
anon (not verified) Mon, 07/29/2024 - 14:20
In reply to wait you are frightened by by anon (not verified)
I mean, I'm afraid of yuppie progressives (Future Democrats, probs DSA-LSC) who cosplay as anarchists co-opting "the anarchist movement", alienating its historical base as a class movement of precarious workers and the unemployed, in order to promote a rebellious but consumer-safe, customizable commodity ideology compatible with middle class sensibilities that works in lockstep with the signalling of progressive neoliberalism. You are a serious cause of concern.
not scared of a mask at all.
anon (not verified) Mon, 07/29/2024 - 12:40
In reply to You seem to be who is by anon (not verified)
not scared of a mask at all.
and yes, you are slaves for doing what you are told over and over (not for just wearing a mask), but the worst kind of slave, those who feel better when everyone is chained up with them.
but you are afraid of
anon (not verified) Mon, 07/29/2024 - 14:41
In reply to not scared of a mask at all. by anon (not verified)
but you are afraid of democrats or were you thinking everyone would forget that post?
tbh I hate wearing a mask. I don't often wear one. but here's the thing, if someone / some events space requests mask wearing so that all who want to can attend an event I will mask up. it's just basic kindness.
but i get it, you are hardened to the plight of other people. you probably are the type to light fireworks in a dry field during a drought. i bet you don't wash your hands after using the bathroom. you probably don't clean your cat's litter box. no doubt your children are unvaccinated and yet you still send them to public school. it is certain that you don't follow traffic directions and drive on the wrong side of the road and your SUV has never had a tune up. clearly you throw out instructions for ikea furniture assembly thinking only slaves follow directions and now all the books you've never read are in a rotting pile on the floor.
frankly I'm surprised you have lived long enough to learn how to type.
"hardened to the plight of
anon (not verified) Sat, 08/03/2024 - 17:20
In reply to but you are afraid of by anon (not verified)
"hardened to the plight of other people" is not the same as buckling under to everyone else, especially when most are just virtue signaling to begin with.
you probably are the type to light fireworks in a dry field during a drought. No, don't use fireworks.
i bet you don't wash your hands after using the bathroom. I pee outside, and I wash my hands when I shit.
you probably don't clean your cat's litter box. My cats shit outside.
no doubt your children are unvaccinated and yet you still send them to public school. They were homeschooled until they decided to go to high school, and yes, they are unvaccinated. No apologies here. Compulsory activity is anti-anarchist.
it is certain that you don't follow traffic directions and drive on the wrong side of the road and your SUV has never had a tune up. i follow most traffic directions for my own safety, i service my non-SUV when it needs it.
clearly you throw out instructions for ikea furniture assembly thinking only slaves follow directions and now all the books you've never read are in a rotting pile on the floor. I don't buy stupid ikea furniture you moron and i read and write regularly. my library is quite extensive and most of it read.
frankly I'm surprised you have lived long enough to learn how to type. frankly I'm surprised you call yourself an anarchist. non of these things are remotely related to vaccines or masks, nice try, go back to tiktok now....
GET OVER IT ALREADY!
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/06/2024 - 13:14
In reply to "hardened to the plight of by anon (not verified)
GET OVER IT ALREADY!
Just wear a fucking mask already. If you don't care about your own health, think about others. You give anarchists a bad name.
What are you going to do when polio comes back?
Its already in the water.
Another world is not possible if we are all dead or in iron lungs.
you antimaskers (altho most
anon (not verified) Tue, 07/30/2024 - 05:55
you antimaskers (altho most of this is probably an op) are so wretched and whiny. if you dont like the policy of an event
1. don't attend!! freedom of association!
2. get off your LAZY INTERNET ASS and organize a bookfair whose policies suit your tastes.
in the meantime pls stfu
p.s. i only mask to do _____ and am personally antivax, just so nobody gets it twisted. the difference is that i am an actual anarchist and respect differences of opinion
We do "organize" our own
EmmaAintDead Wed, 07/31/2024 - 18:59
In reply to you antimaskers (altho most by anon (not verified)
We do "organize" our own stuff, your people keep pouring bottles of poop on the nearby baby swings though :(((((
"Won't somebody think of the
TranslationBoy (not verified) Wed, 07/31/2024 - 19:23
In reply to We do "organize" our own by EmmaAintDead
"Won't somebody think of the children!!! Cap n Crunch! Fruit Loops! Lucky Charms! Frosted Flakes! You will not replace us!"
well ok maybe you can get a
anon (not verified) Sat, 08/03/2024 - 17:11
In reply to you antimaskers (altho most by anon (not verified)
well ok maybe you can get a job in some progressive DEI non-profit
"difference of opinion", that opens the door for so much, and a lot of it seems to be bootlicking
Liberal sez: "Are you Pro or
anon (not verified) Sat, 08/03/2024 - 19:29
In reply to you antimaskers (altho most by anon (not verified)
Liberal sez: "Are you Pro or Anti-Mask?"
Liberal sez: "Are you Left or RIGHT WING?"
Liberal sez: "Are you Zionist or Pro-Palestine?"
Also liberal sez: "Coke or Pepsi?"
At the Olympia Restaurant
WizeAss (not verified) Fri, 10/11/2024 - 13:43
In reply to Liberal sez: "Are you Pro or by anon (not verified)
No coke, pepsi.
Funny as hell...
DLJ (not verified) Fri, 10/11/2024 - 13:16
Looks like it will be a good conference if the only complaints I see about it are anonymous idiots whining in a comments section!
i love all the big-brained
anon (not verified) Fri, 10/11/2024 - 16:23
i love all the big-brained discourse happening here. it's always good to see people building mutual understanding
just like you're doing with
anon (not verified) Fri, 10/11/2024 - 16:25
In reply to i love all the big-brained by anon (not verified)
just like you're doing with your comment. so mutual, such understanding...
hey, i see a shit fire, i try
anon (not verified) Fri, 10/11/2024 - 21:56
In reply to just like you're doing with by anon (not verified)
hey, i see a shit fire, i try to piss it out. no sense trying to build anything if the parts and the space are all aflame
because your comment was
anon (not verified) Sat, 10/12/2024 - 07:32
In reply to hey, i see a shit fire, i try by anon (not verified)
because your comment was clearly trying to "put something out". why act like you're doing anything other than what you accuse others of?
do you think people can't see you?
But seriously though...
w (not verified) Sat, 10/12/2024 - 20:39
I'm earnestly curious, how/why was this decision made? Was there just a majority of people that felt it was "prudent"? To explain my personal perspective:
- [Allegedly] vaccinated people are safer from the most concerning aspects of covid - e.g. long covid and death/hospitalization.
- People who are sick - stay home, damn you. (Like, seriously? And yes, I do realize some people may be asymptomatic.)
- People that are particularly concerned can still wear masks! While, yes, everyone wearing them is the "most safe", those wearing a mask themselves are still 80+% safer by most estimates/studies under the worst circumstances. Here, you've already added additional filtration, etc., so I'd say this is far from worst-case.
- All viruses evolve, etc. - this is why flu shots change every year. (i.e. why is covid the poster child?)
So...I just don't understand why any closed space events require masks, despite an apparent - to ME - justification? I just genuinely don't understand what about COVID specifically - as it is understood today - makes all this relevant. I'm aware I can take the suggestion re: free association, but I just wanted to say that I really don't get this in a way that might hopefully net a response actually helpful to understanding the organizers' perspectives.
Like...everything in life has risks - obviously - and I wonder how much of it someone gets to really live/experience by being so, "diligent"? Perhaps it is just me, but it *feels like* this appears to be behavior based on irrational fears. Don't get me wrong - I'm all about having mutual respect - but at some point (maybe a bad example, but) I'll just move out of the way of someones cigarette smoke stream and let them smoke.
It's your space, you've done the work of organizing, etc - no disrespect, and kudos for doing the work, it just makes me so much less likely to want to interact/go because it *seems* to represent a mindset I just can't grasp, and I'm less interested in associating with those just "going along with it" given it's apparent (to ME) complete senselessness.
I do see comments about FBI (blah blah blah) but that does raise another consideration: is this specifically something that is being leveraged? Is part of the motivation truly not to let a crisis go to waste, and just take advantage of the free face shields? I actually do get that, but there's clearly better protection than an N95 for that - are such other options welcome/encouraged, or should I just "know this"/look for the wink when I'm thanked for being cautious?
Thanks for considering the outside perspective and possibly offering insight! Best of luck with your event.
N95s and respirators are
anon (not verified) Sun, 10/13/2024 - 01:55
In reply to But seriously though... by w (not verified)
N95s and respirators are better than normal garbage masks and respirators make you look cool. But the only masks all the public spaces give you are these puny regular-ass surgeon masks. That's stupid. N95s are not expensive at all, and respirators are more comfortable to wear. One of the main complaints about masks is that they are so damn uncomfortable.
What I'm saying is: I want a free respirator to look like I'm from Cyberpunk Edgerunners.
What I'd also add to what I
anon (not verified) Sun, 10/13/2024 - 02:23
In reply to N95s and respirators are by anon (not verified)
What I'd also add to what I said above is that wearing textile masks with prescription glasses is a living hell. If your mask does not fit your nose perfectly (it won't) your glasses will become blurry and you won't be able to see shit. You have to fixate the damn glasses on top of the bloody mask so your lenses don't get blurry from the heat coming from your nose.
Where's my free respirator?
Masks and free association
anon (not verified) Sun, 10/13/2024 - 08:29
The only place I ever wear masks anymore (aside from special circumstances like my grandmas nursing home had an outbreak recently) is the local anarchist space. I don’t like it particularly, but you know what, it’s their space, I’m not an organizer, and if I start to feel like I need some air I just step outside for a minute. It’s not a big deal to me and I don’t really feel the need to over analyze it. There are probably lots of things I don’t really agree with that group about, but I’m glad to be there when there is something I want to participate in there.
I went to a different place recently for the meeting of a new group with some anarchists involved, and almost everyone was wearing a mask and said their pronouns at the beginning, and while I’m not against either of those things I was a little bit like eh yeah… seemed symbolic of the range of reasons I don’t really feel attracted to participate more, seems kinda liberal.
Anyway, ofc u can say your piece about whatever but at a certain point either organize your own book fair, or just don’t go, or go and wear a mask, but just recognize that voluntary association has long been recognized as one of the key principles of almost every version of anarchism.
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