Rachael Quisel interviewed DoppelHouse author and artist Jana Zimmer on her process compiling the images and text for Chocolates from Tangier for the Montecito Journal.

Quisel notes themes of compassion link Zimmer’s collages to her text, inquiring whether the book’s publication can “foster a sense of connection not only among individuals, but also among traumatized communities?” to which Zimmer remarks “that is precisely [her] hope” and shares the meaningful connections that have arisen from her memoir.

“Building alliances between traumatized communities, which historically have been pitted against each other, is a crucial aspect [of building connection]. … It’s time for people to come together and understand who is truly responsible for their suffering,” thus “transcending what divides [Jewish people] from other traumatized communities.”

Read the full interview here.