Kristina Wong with Rebecca Solnit: The Power of Art and Aunties

“Had the government stepped in and done its job, had they not advocated against vaccines and mask mandates, we wouldn't have been frantically gathering our children to cut up bedsheets to make masks for medical workers and everyone else.” That’s Kristina Wong, performance artist, comedian, and writer. This week, Wong tells the story of how she created a network of “aunties,” who were primarily Asian American, in a mutual aid project that ended up making and distributing over 500 thousand masks during the first year of the pandemic. In winter 2021, she opened Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord, which played to sold-out audiences at the New York Theatre Workshop. Now Wong, legendary writer Rebecca Solnit, and several other members of The Auntie Sewing Squad have co-authored a book: The Auntie Sewing Squad Guide to Mask Making, Radical Care, and Racial Justice. Here to discuss the show, the book, the phenomenon of mutual aid in times of disaster, and how racial justice and feminism underlie it all are Aunties Kristina Wong and Rebecca Solnit. A regular contributor to the Guardian, Solnit is the author of Hope in the Dark from Haymarket Books, among twenty other publications.  GuestsRebecca Solnit, Author, Historan, ActivistKristina Wong, Performance Artist, Comedian & Writer, Sweatshop Overlord  Support the show by becoming a member as a monthly supporter at Patreon.com/theLFShow  We do not accept corporate or government funding.  We rely on you!  Full Episode Notes are posted at Patreon.com/theLFShow for members and non-members. Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel