Welcome to the Angry Knit - In 

and Tight Knit Community 

Once upon a time in a digital land, a woman was asked half a million times, "what can I do?" Her answer - ORGANIZE! 

Daniella Mestyanek Young, known online as Knitting Cult Lady, gathered a group of everyday people to increase civic engagement through community, resources, and activism. These individuals have volunteered their time and skills to organize practical actions you can do today. 

The Angry Knit-In started as an idea to gather in a sit-in style protest and craft resistance art that would be given to warm and clothe local residents while making a statement and raising awareness of civic organizations. 

Turns out that organizing something like that in advance would have cost over a quarter of a million dollars for one day. We felt that money and time could be spent more effectively, so we shifted. 

The Angry Knit-In is an event and call to action combining the long time practices of fabric art and resistance, known as craftivism. This event is launching a long-term effort in organizing community, building our activism muscles, mutual aid, and civic engagement. We will have amazing speakers sharing how they are pushing back against the rise of authoritarianism and what you can do about it. Groups from the community will be sharing how you can get involved along with practical steps to take right now. We will practice in real time what it means to be part of the resistance through education and building connections. We can only do this when we do this together. 

The Tight Knit Community is a group of activists and community organizers who are joining together in mutual aid to support the long term effort of achieving liberty and justice for ALL, along with a growing grassroots community made up of individuals just like you. 

Craftivism is not just pretty colors and sassy slogans - it is activism through YOUR craft, whatever that may be. Daniella is a writer who wrote two books to help people through this era and uses her large platform to resist fascism. The individual knit-in volunteers have used their skills to create everything we are bringing to you now. Fabric artists have made signs, banners, 3d printed whistles, blankets, hats, installation art, and so much more, not because they needed a hobby, but because their hobby helped them speak out. Whether your goal is to clothe your neighbors, make a stand, or inspire others to resist - you have a skill that is needed right now. It doesn't end when you bind off - that is where it begins. 

Many people are isolated right now. Blame it on covid, division, social media, it doesn't matter. What does matter is we have lost community connections. Our discord community is a place to share resources and create connections, while inspiring one another to act. Joining events like craft circles focused on civic action is one of many ways to meet real people and get involved in the movement. We can't do this alone from behind a screen. 

For too long we have not heeded the warning signs of authoritarianism. We have slowly and systematically lost rights and allowed terror on our people, especially people of color, who have been by far the most harmed from our collective lack of action. 

It is not enough to be an ally - we need to be accomplices. Not to harm, but to action. We need to be complicit in creating a better government for all of us. We need to be accountable for what we have allowed and make amends by doing the hard work. We need to be active participants in our governance. 

What we are doing here, on this page, with this platform, for this audience, is civic engagement. We are providing resources and actions. Calendars, events, reading lists, tips, and more are all in one place for you to utilize. 

We are stepping up. Will you?

Knitting Cult Lady's KNIT IN PLAYLIST

Thoughts on Craftivism by Parkrose Permaculture