Mutual Aid Isn't Charity with Eric Von Haynes (noseyAF Classic)

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Join the noseyAF Dispatch 📬 At the end of the month, your inbox gets a little happier — all the month's noseyAF episodes sent straight to you. → Subscribe to the noseyAF Dispatch Ep #112: Mutual Aid Isn't Charity with Eric Von Haynes (noseyAF Classic) This is a noseyAF classic — a conversation originally recorded in 2024 with Eric Von Haynes that was edited and reshaped to air live on Lumpen Radio (WLPN Chicago 105.5 FM). Eric is a printmaker, designer, publisher, and co-founder of Love Fridge Chicago, and he brings real clarity to what mutual aid actually means — and what it doesn't.

We dig into how it differs from charity, why reciprocity is the whole point, and how his community fridge network Love Fridge Chicago puts those values into practice across the city. Plus we get into his art, why print is a political act, and why he believes the strongest groups — not individuals — survive.

What We Talk About What mutual aid actually is and what it's NOT (hint: posting a Venmo link is probably just fundraising) Reciprocity as the heart of real community care, and why transparency matters How Love Fridge Chicago works, what it takes to maintain a fridge site, and why community buy-in is everything The difference between mutual aid and charity — and why Love Fridge isn't a nonprofit Horizontality, anarchist philosophy, and why Eric believes no one should be a billionaire Photographing people receiving food and why that's straight-up othering Printmaking as a democratic and political act — especially as a Black man in America Flatlands Press and why getting ideas into physical multiples matters That time a yoga studio started leaving flyers at a fridge site 🙄 Things We Mentioned Love Fridge Chicago Flatlands Press Mutual Aid by Dean Spade (affiliate link) Artist Admin Hour (Stephanie's sponsor shoutout) Tiger Strikes Asteroid Chicago (where Eric had a exhibition) The Joan Flasch Artist Book Collection Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Eric Von Haynes and Love Fridge 02:21 - The Power of Mutual Aid 20:29 - Exploring Mutual Aid and Community Support 29:58 - The Importance of Community Engagement in Resource Distribution 38:26 - Exploring the Differences Between Mutual Aid and Charity 49:50 - Creating Diverse Spaces for Black Voices All about... Eric Von Haynes You're gonna love Eric he's a printmaker, designer, publisher, community builder, and co-founder of Love Fridge Chicago.

He's also the president of the Chicago Printers Guild and the founder of Flatlands Press, where he creates and publishes artist books and printed matter for artists he believes should exist in the world. His work is rooted in anarchist philosophy, horizontality, and a deep belief that the strongest groups survive not the strongest individuals.

Sponsor Shoutout 💖 This episode is brought to you by Artist Admin Hour . It's a weekly Zoom session (Wednesdays, 7–9 pm Central) for artists to tackle the admin stuff they've been putting off — grant apps, residency applications, budgets, invoices — with body doubling, structure, and real community.

Plans start at $65–$95/month, but if that's not doable, email Stephanie because getting this done matters. Check them out here: Connect with Eric Von Haynes Website: Love Fridge Chicago: Eric’s Instagram: @manny_suena More ways to connect: Email: stephanie@ Subscribe to the noseyAF Dispatch Check out my work Follow me on Instagram @stephaniegraham Listen to more episodes Support & Feedback noseyAF is listener-supported — thank you for being here. 💛 ⭐ Rate & Review the Show — it gives the show street cred and helps new listeners find the show 📣 Share noseyAF with a friend who needs to hear this Episode Credits Produced, Hosted, and Edited by Me, Stephanie Graham (teaching myself audio editing!) Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam Cover Art: Emma McGoldrick