We are honoured this year to have some wonderful speakers for our Assembly. Among them is Sarah Corbett who will be speaking and running afternoon workshops on Monday on Craftivism.
Her lifelong passion as a Christian committed to social justice is finding ways to use craft skills to make a point.
She calls this a ‘gentle protest’. Buts it's not weak and passive approach but one that it thoughtful and targetted. She says its about loving and encouraging activism. In her book "How to be a Craftivist" she offers up this advice to be a Gentle Protester:
1) Not to let our own baggage fog our strategy or cause barriers with those we are trying to engage.
2) Be compassionate; language can be be hurtful and may turn people against our cause, so could our methods. We need to be intentional in every element of our campaigning from the way we greet people to sending them a follow up thank you letter for their time. Details matter.
3) Act out your vision – if we want a more beautiful, kind and just world then we must make sure our activism is beautiful, kind and fair otherwise our campaign is offering opportunity for people to discredit the campaign and cause.
Sarah is aware that for many who have been campaigning for environmental issues for some time there is a sense of fatigue and disillusion and Sarah is keen for us to embed into our campaigning self care.
It is a privilege to have Sarah among us at our Assembly and I am sure we will be all the better for having her among us.
Stephen Taylor