Sara Trail: Quilter, Warrior

This episode features a conversation with Sara Trail, founder of Social Justice Sewing Academy, an organization that provides young people in marginalized communities with free workshops to make textile art about social justice issues. You might think of quilters as little old ladies in rockers, but this fierce, young warrior will upend all your notions of what can be achieved through the artistic expression of quilting. The young makers use fabric, needle and thread in decidedly un-old lady-like ways to create arresting images where they can protest injustice and advocate for social change, giving them the chance to be heard for the first time. Sara and Nancy talk about how Trayvon Martin’s murder propelled her from a very young, very successful sewing career into tackling social justice issues with her craft; the community that has developed between the young quilt designers and the older, whiter volunteers who do the technical work to create the finished product, helping to bridge the divide between these groups; and the ways we can help, whether we can sew or not. To learn more about Social Justice Sewing Academy and ways to get involved by donating, sewing or mentoring, go to sjsacademy.com.