Make Care Visible

In a moment when so much of our society feels organized around otherizing, fear, and fragmentation, acts of care are – as the poet David Gate calls them – acts of rebellion.

They are radical – each one a claim that an alternative future is possible.

And when we make our care visible in public spaces – even in the smallest of ways – we contribute to building a culture of creativity, resilience, and solidarity rather than of despair and isolation.

In the words of adrienne maree brown:

“We hold so many worlds inside us. So many futures. It is our radical responsibility to share these worlds, to plant them in the soil of our society as seeds for the type of justice we want and need.”

This June, I’m inviting you to join me in a bit of culture-shaping as we become craftivists making care visible in our neighborhoods:

Create: Choose a medium and make something centered on care, belonging, and the future you want to live in. Stick figures count; words count; yarn counts; chalk counts. Literally anything that models a culture of care for our neighbors and our world. And if you have kids or grandkids, this is a wonderful opportunity to invite them to co-create something with you. (See inspiration at the bottom of this page.)
Share: Make sure to share it somewhere public – sidewalks, bus stops, community boards, windows, common spaces. (A friend of mine once dropped little notes of kindness into new clothes at one of our local clothing shops – get creative!)
Invite: Think of one person in your community (perhaps one of your artistic friends?) and invite them to participate as well. The more art, the more impact!

Our goal isn’t to shame people into changing or force through new nation-wide policies with a bit of our chalk or thread. It is simply to make care visible in 30 of our neighborhoods across our country.

If you’re interested in joining me in this communal effort, check out the “How it Works” steps below and sign up using the “Sign Up and show care” button!

And if you want inspiration for what your craftivism might look like in action, scroll to the bottom of this page!

Andrew

Together, we’re making care visible in:

/ 

Neighborhoods

How it Works:

Step One: Create

Use the Sign Up link above to sign up and join in this campaign. You’ll be asked for your name, email address, and the neighborhood and city you’re planning to share in.
Then, create (or make a simple plan to create) something for your neighborhood and choose a date to share it in public.
Looking for inspiration?
- Draw a symbol of hope.
- Write a message the world needs more of.
- Share a poem or quote that emboldens you.
- Craft a reminder of our shared humanity.
- Create something for a stranger having a hard day.
- Imagine the future and leave a sign of it behind.
Or see some examples below 👇
Step Two: Share

During the month of June, pick a public space and share what you’ve created!
Here are some ideas for locations:
- On your sidewalk or window.
- At your local bus stop
- On community boards
- Outside your local library
- On a fence or railing along a walking path
- In a park or along a school walking route
- In a shared hallways or lobby
And make sure to take pictures – that way you can share them into your social networks online! (I’ll send you a link to share your pictures with us as well!)
Image source: Craftivist Collective
Step Three: Invite

Before or after you share what you make, invite one other person to make care visible in their neighborhood too.
- Send them a picture.
- Tell them why you participated.
- Share the sign-up link.
- Encourage them to create something that feels good for them and spreads art and messages of care.
Culture shifts when what is visible shifts – and small, friend-to-friend and coworker-to-coworker invitations help this work travel farther than any one of us could do alone.

Make Care Visible

Together, we’re making care visible in:

Step One: Create

Step Two: Share

Step Three: Invite

If you’re doomscrolling the news and want to make a difference…