In October, the Center for Women’s Studies hosted Shannon Downey, a lifelong activist who uses her passion for crafting to bridge advocacy and creativity. (Colgate’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation co-sponsored the talk.) The Chicago-based artist explained to students how she uses traditional “women’s crafts,” notably embroidery, as vehicles of community building and activism. Downey credits her own lived experiences as the motivation behind this project. “A bullet came through my bedroom window while I was sleeping,” she said. “So, I stitched a gun,” recalled Downey.
Downey’s previous advocacy efforts were often displayed on social media. Her craftivism journey began when she picked up embroidery after experiencing burnout from being constantly connected to her device. As she immersed herself in the hobby, she had the realization that she could connect it with her passion for activism, a concept known as “craftivism.”
The initial stitched gun she designed gained significant media attention, with many community members reaching out to buy either the piece itself or a pattern to make their own. Downey then used this attention, calling for other crafters to stitch guns. She had amassed hundreds of guns before hosting an event at a museum—displaying and selling every single piece—and raising more than $5,000 for a nonprofit organization. It was that moment in which she realized this was the start of something big.
“Is embroidery gonna be the greatest community organizing tool ever? I think it is,” Downey joked.
The craftivism movement first gained national attention when Downey stitched the outdated mantra: “boys will be boys,” with the last word crossed out and replaced with “held accountable for their … actions.” The piece blew up on social media and was eventually featured in Vogue. Her activism expanded beyond feminism when a U.K.-based fast fashion company plagiarized the design on a pair of jeans. In response to this, she posted on social media, where it was met with support and condemnation of the brand’s actions. Yet, Downey herself couldn’t deny the fact that the jeans were quite fashionable, so she released a tutorial on how to stitch the pattern onto upcycled jeans that followers could do at home.
“I only work on one thing—recruiting and training activists,” asserted Downey. “A lot of craftivism is a little activism, like, ‘I stitched something, I said something, I put it on the internet.’ I’m more like activism with a side of craft. ‘How is this tool going to advance activism?’”
Another movement of hers that gained significant recognition was Rita’s Quilt. Downey started the quilt after stumbling upon an unfinished project at an estate sale. The quilt featured a map of the U.S. with incredibly detailed pictures depicting each state. She was elated to discover that the original artist, Rita, who passed away at 99 years old, was a strong-willed woman who dedicated her life to the feminist movement. In light of this news, Downey wanted to find a way to honor the incredible crafter behind the quilt so she got a group of women together, and they finished the project.
“I posted it on Instagram and said, ‘Does anyone want to help me finish Rita’s quilt?’ I thought maybe 10 people. Within days, I had hundreds of messages. Women from all over the country started sending me fabric squares, little notes, stories. It became this huge community project. It became this radical feminist act—a way to honor every bit of women’s work that’s never been appreciated. We weren’t just finishing Rita’s quilt; we were finishing everyone’s unfinished work,” said Downey of the project.
Downey and Rita’s quilt ended up making an appearance on the Kelly Clarkson Show and was displayed at the National Quilt Museum for a temporary exhibition. Rita’s life may have been boxed up at the estate sale, but her legacy is now immortal thanks to Downey and hundreds of supporters.
Craftivism is clear evidence that anyone can be an activist with small acts that make a big difference.
“My human vision statement,” she said, “is a world where everyone is an activist for justice.”
Downey will continue spreading her message, stitching stories together, one thread at a time.