Ahhhhh February. At least we are out of January! Tomorrow it will be -35 degrees here in the Boston area. My Saturday class at the museum was cancelled so no one gets frostbite on their way to make art. I find myself focusing more and more on weather trends…trying to predict the future and where the most strategic place to live might be as things get more extreme and unpredictable. I weigh the natural disasters that I am less terrified of versus those I’m more terrified of (tornados, wild fires, floods, hurricanes). I consider access to fresh water. Then I layer in access to basic human rights and suddenly this country and world feel very very small. It’s strange to watch so many humans begging for power holders to do different and watching those power holders do nothing. Then I wonder about all the people who work for those companies and power holders…do they see themselves as part of the problem? Then I wonder about all of us…addicted to the infrastructure we have created with no real way to change everything. Being fed the nonsense of green energy, realizing it’s just a different version of the same outcome. I like to imagine what our world could have been if we just trusted the stewards who planned seven generations ahead. I wonder what it might look like to un-fuck this whole mess…what an exciting adventure it would be if the will was there. Lots to think about this cold February morning.
Anyway, this month I have some important resources for you AND a fun new pattern (that maybe you will need to stitch after that intro) LOL.
Here we go…
Currently on my coffee table is my friend, Samira Mehta’s new book - The Racism of People Who Love You. I am early on in the book and I am thrilled. Samira is smart (like, wicked smart), thoughtful, funny, and no nonsense. I’m also enjoying how special it feels to know her and to hear her voice reading it to me. It’s extra special that chapter 1 talks about the impact of the CT town she grew up in - especially the pizza. She and her mom were so gracious and hosted me in their driveway during the pandemic when I rolled up in my RV. They fed me pizza and wine and toured me around the town. I lived chapter 1.
Read this book.
TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS REJOICE
Western States Center has released some amazing toolkits for teachers and librarians on confronting white nationalism.
Confronting White Nationalism in Libraries
Libraries are increasingly on the frontlines of defending democracy, and resisting growing efforts to disrupt LGBTQ+ programming, ban books focused on inclusivity, and attack critical race theory. Western States Center’s toolkit gives librarians, administrators and communities the tools needed to effectively push back against these efforts.
Written by and for librarians in collaboration with Western States Center, this toolkit is organized around six realistic scenarios, highlighting proactive and reactive practices for taking action along with communications approaches.
Confronting White Nationalism in Schools
Americans across the country report a rise in white nationalism and other bigoted extremism. Because schools are hubs of our communities, they have become battlegrounds for extremist organizing and recruitment sites for white nationalist groups targeting young people.
In this toolkit, we’ll share strategies to counter white nationalist organizing through sample scenarios that schools frequently encounter. Whether a student has been found passing out white nationalist flyers or buttons on school property, or more actively advocating for a “white pride” student group, the toolkit offers advice for parents, students, teachers, school administrators, and the wider community.
They have a host of other resources and toolkits (including a dope graphic novel). You can find them all here: https://www.westernstatescenter.org/toolkits-resources
ABORTION ACCESS FRONT FEBRUARY PATTERN
Each month, for twelve months, a new craftivist is offering up a resource or pattern to anyone who donates $10+ to Abortion Access Front. The February resource is by Mindy Tsonas Choi. Mindy will introduce you to Zine making and share loads of resources to help you explore the wide world and deep history of Zines as tools for social change. She offers you some tips and inspiration for creating your own.
Donate and download here: https://aafront.salsalabs.org/craftivism/index.html
If you want to take a workshop with Mindy on this very topic, join my Patreon and get access to Saturday's event! Mindy will Zoom in and teach us all about Zines and we will make one together. This event will be recorded and available in the Patreon forevs.
HERSTORY ON EXHIBIT
Have you been meaning to get your Badass Herstory submission done? Well I have just the motivation for you! The exhibit will be back on display for all of June in a gallery in Massachusetts (more details coming). Get it done. Send it to me. And your story will be included in this powerful exhibit. Deadline to submit: May 15th.
Want more info? Head here: https://www.badasscrossstitch.com/communityprojects/badassherstory
Get your friends together and create! (Feels like a solid Galentine’s activity)
Art by: Anne DeChant
UPCOMING EVENTS
ONLINE
Saturday, February 4th // Zine Making with Mindy Tsonas Choi - Zoom (Open to all Patreon Members)
Sunday, February 5th // Intro to Embroidery - Zoom
Tuesday, February 14th // Be My Valentine Intro to Embroidery - Zoom
IN PERSON
Saturday, February 11th // Intro to Craftivism // Boxborough, MA
Sunday, February 19th // Intro to Craftivism // Townsend, MA
Sunday, March 26th // Art Activism (a presentation + talk) // Cambridge, MA
SAVE THE DATE
Thursday, March 2nd // Sip + Chat: Unraveling Art and Artivism (a panel) // Newton, MA
A RAD INITIATIVE TO SHARE AND SUPPORT
Rachel Wallis is at it again…
This month I'm launching a collaboration with the Returning Artist Guild. The Returning Artists’ Guild (RAG) is a network of around 30 currently and formerly incarcerated artists in Ohio and across the U.S. The RAG was co-founded by two artists, Aimee Wissman and Kamisha Thomas, who wanted to continue the therapeutic, creative community that they found “inside.” The RAG consists of visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, singers, rappers, comedians, dancers, poets and spoken word performers, activists, researchers, stylists, and entrepreneurs. The Guild has been creating temporary spaces across the state for pop-up exhibitions, workshops/skill sharing, community retreats, and we work with artists and organizational partners who want to provide resources to our community.
With support from dozens of generous individuals, we've been able to buy and collect materials and supplies to equip six RAG members with home textile studios, complete with sewing machines, rotary blades, quilting rulers, cutting mats, fabric, and batting. At the end of February we're gathering together for our first weekend retreat, where we will learn quilting fundamentals and begin dreaming up a collaborative textile project with the Guild.
Learn more and support their GoFundMe here.
#YEAROFSTITCH
We are having a delightful time learning new stitches and gearing up for some very exciting new embroidery methods. You are welcome to join us anytime! All of the videos and samplers from the 2022 Year of Stitch are all available in the Patreon Library AND all new samplers and new tutorials come out each week through 2023.
Join us here at whatever pricing level feels best to you.
A great way to support an artist and learn a whole bunch of new stuff!
CRAFTIVISM GRANT UPDATE
I’m excited to report that I had kick-off meetings with both recipient groups and we are fired up!
The young person with big fundraising plans for the LGBTQ+ folks in their community is hard at work designing their stickers. We have laid out a plan of attack and are gearing up to move to phase II. More on that soon…we will need your help!
The DesPlaines Library crew (already masters of programming) are hard at work building their craftivism workshops. Omkari and I will be working with them on craftivism talking points AND a fantastic toolkit and resource guide for other libraries across the country looking to engage their community in environmental and social change through craft!
POSTCARDS NEEDED - WISCONSIN VOTERS!
Are you someone who likes to create postcards for voters? Have you wanted to but maybe haven’t done that yet? NOW is the time.
Wisconsin needs yours help.
MY UPDATES
I am having THE BEST time as a Teaching Artist at the ICA Boston. I’m working with middle school artists on Saturdays and OMG. These young people are, unsurprisingly, brilliant and talented. It is exactly the joy and hope that I need right now. I am feeling very grateful for the opportunity.
I’m back on twitter with a new account. It was just too sad to not have access to all of the activists and thinkers that I adore. Plus, I needed to reclaim my power after the white supremacists got ahold of my account and destroyed it.
If you are on twitter you can find me @IStabShit
FREE PATTERN FOR YOU
That’s it for this month. I hope to stitch with you soon!
Hugs,
Shannon