I attended an excellent Community Quilt workshop by Sara Trail of Social Justice Sewing Academy with the Portland Modern Quilt Guild on Sunday. I am so impressed with the work they are doing. She shared the curriculum they use with the youth artists as well as many of the powerful blocks and artist statements made in the program. At the end of the workshop we had a short time to design and make a block of our own. As someone who can overthink things I found it a little stressful to have such a quick turnaround but in the end I kinda liked working fast. The blocks will next be sent to volunteer embroiderers for stitching before they will be joined into a quilt.
I live in a mostly white (96%) rural town in the midwest. Four years ago our town had its first Pride event that consisted of 5 people. Each year the Pride march has gotten bigger. We had our first Black Lives Matter rally a few weeks ago and they are continuing each week with a march and open mic time after.
I am hopeful for our future but it is also disheartening to see so much push back to the idea that everyone should have the right to breathe, be their true selves, and live in peace. To make real progress we need to address the changes needed to healthcare, economics, housing, voting, and policing.
And on that note, go register to vote!!! And if you already are, go check it again!!
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