Today I will participate in the Women Strike. I will not do my usual work. There will be no school drop off and pick up. No story-time at the library today, even though I know those things are important. That’s the point. When women don’t work, important things don’t happen. I will strike (as much as a mom can). Join me in striking or supporting a woman on strike, because let’s face it, it takes a village. This is not “just” a women’s movement. Tomorrow my husband will support my strike effort by taking care of business at home with the kids while I march with my friends and family including my dad, who took me to my first protest over 30 years ago.

I will NOT bear witness to what is happening in DC. That is NOT. MY. PRESIDENT.

Instead we will focus on the good in the world and do the things we love. So we are off to the Duke Lemur Center, because SCIENCE IS REAL and so is evolution. May we evolve into a better world in the years to come, one act of resistance at a time.

Today I strike. Tomorrow I march.

Some people are brain-stormers, others are organizers, others excel at inspiring. I’m a crafter. That’s my gift and that’s what I have been giving to the march effort. For the past month I have been busy crafting for the resistance.

Using a skill fostered by my grandmother, I knit 20 pussyhats (and re purposed four more from a thrift store scarf) and sent them to marchers across the county, from Denver to DC. Knitting is always and act of love for me, but rarely has knitting felt so important. I love that a skill that intertwines me with important women and my life (my knitting guru, Michelle, my mom, my grandmother and you, City Mama) is valued and useful to this movement.

Wearing my pussyhat has also helped me find my tribe. I wore it to school drop off and ended up chatting with more moms  than I ever have, probably because they recognized my signal of resistance. Right before I left my son’s teacher whispered “I like your hat. I’m marching in Washington. I wish I had one.” Fortunately I had a spare in the car that I gave to her. I love knowing that the beautiful things I created will be part of powerful (visual) statement tomorrow.

Earlier this week I pulled out my husband’s grandmother’s sewing machine and I created 5 sashes for my local march (Raleigh). It felt good to create something beautiful on a machine that has been taking care of my family for generations.

All of this crafting used Icelandic yarn as a symbolic connection to the country with the world’s first democratically directly elected female president. I have found it very hard to hope since the election. I felt shattered. I am not convinced I will ever be able to feel the same way for a candidate as I did for Hillary. But with my Icelandic yarn I am reserving a spot for a female president I can be proud of in our future. I’m not there yet, but I’m holding space for when that time comes.

Hold space. Strike. March. Resist. Craft. Do what you can and we will get through this together.