Postcards + Activism = Craftivism
Artistic cards draw attention, win votes
By ROBBIN WARNER
Handwritten postcards to voters run the gamut from rote canned scripts to artfully crafted creations intended to surprise and delight. Postcarding, in other words, can be activism, a craft, or a blend of both. Call it Craftivism.
Postcard crafters’ tools include colored markers (Sharpies) and highlighters, rubber stamps and stickers. The cards themselves may be made from cereal boxes, magazines photos, or old maps. There is nothing mass market about these cards. They are one-of-a-kind creations that radiate authenticity with a message of hope and action. And they get results.
Craftivism, a term coined by sociologist Betsy Greer, is the merging of activism with crafting to present a creative message both louder and stronger that the ordinary brochure or flier.* Greer conceived the idea in 2003 and expanded it in her 2014 book *Craftivism: The Art of Craft and Activism. Each handcrafted postcard is proof that making politics personal makes it both powerful and fun.
A postcard’s written message is designed by the campaign, but the creative presentation is a handmade gift from the writer that catches the eye of each recipient. Writing postcards is an act of guerilla kindness.** This is not assembly line democracy where consultants come up with the perfect message for volunteers to copy in bulk. This is slow activism where the priorities are thought, care, and authenticity.
At Postcards4VA, our cards reach voters in rural areas with limited broadband, where the U.S. postal service is still an important source of information, where going to the mailbox is a daily ritual. During the Trump administration, our postcards were resistance craftivism, yet as the threat to our democracy continues, this form of craftivism is needed more than ever.
As co-founder of one of the oldest grassroots postcarding groups, I have watched postcarding go from a discounted and disrespected tactic to the most popular volunteer activity. And though I wish I had saved each one-of-a-kind creation, like all crafts, they are made to be used, not just admired. Fortunately, their makers took photos of their work and I am honored to present some of my favorites.
When the history of our movement is written, our postcards will be categorized not just as messaging tools but as a craft that helped save Democracy.
RESOURCES
*Craftivism: The Art of Craft and Activism by Betsy Greer, editor (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2014).
**Guerilla Kindness and Other Acts of Creative Resistance: Making a Better World Through Craftivism by Sayraphim Lothiam (Mango, 2018).
This is a beautiful article. I am going to up my postcard craft!
Great endorsement of postcarding from James Carville on yesterday's podcast- Politics War Room.