Reflections on 2021
The end of the year calls for reflection, a time to pause and look back on what happened in 2021. We celebrated the inauguration of a new President and the first female Vice-President, and achieved a Democratic majority in the House and Senate (slim, but true). We were grateful to arrive safely at Inauguration Day. Remember the first two weeks? The first Wednesday of the year, insurrection, the second Wednesday, impeachment #2. It was most definitely a rocky start.
As we settled into a new administration, with experienced representatives getting right to work, we were able to exhale a bit, exhausted from the previous four years. At Create Protest, we shifted focus to campaigns around Earth Day, a Covid memorial, mental health issues connected to the Covid crisis, and pro-abortion messaging.
Take a look at what our artists created and what issues they helped amplify this year, and what you all loved about them!
Earth Day
In honor of Earth Day, Tucson artist Alex! Jimenez (pictured below) created a limited edition print titled “Our Pond, Our Planet.”
“I so loved this print when I first saw it. I have had two friends ask where I got it and want to buy one! Climate change is one of the most, if not the most, pressing issues of our time, in my opinion.” - Jessica Koslow
Hello Feelings
We are coming up on two years of living with Covid. The toll on our mental health has been significant and our artists created designs to message to our young people that all feelings are welcome, that everything is weird, and to breathe it all in, love it all out.Our artist Teresa Villegas (pictured below) created designs for notebooks and stickers.
"I learned this Tonglen breathing technique many years ago and it has been the practice I return to regularly to get me through stressful times, as well as non-stressful times to simply get centered and reset. It's the quickest and easiest way for anyone to practice. While working on this piece, I got creative feedback from my (often anxious) teens. They assured me this was definitely something they would like and share.” - Teresa Villegas
Rose River Memorial
Our country has now lost over 800,000 people to Covid. Artist Marcos Lutyens (pictured below) created the Rose River Memorial, a massive artwork that gives us all a way to collectively grieve as a Nation. Red felt roses made by individuals collectively become a national memorial that has been displayed around the country.
Last February, we organized a rose making workshop with many of you, and helped to memorialize and recognize so many lost.
”Making roses to visualize US lives lost to Covid was an opportunity to knit my grief together with a collective grief and be reminded that we have all experienced profound loss. In a culture full of toxic positivity, expressing a public cry of mourning with so many others was cathartic.”
- Rebecca Masterson
Abortion Access
Roe vs. Wade is in peril, a women’s right to choose and easily seek a safe abortion is eroding. Our artist Luz Rodriguez (pictured below) spoke up and created three powerful designs to help us all speak out about this crucial issue.
“I love the fact that my shirt lets me be a walking advertisement for women’s reproductive freedom, and that the design pairs the fighting words of choice with the feminizing floral motif. And, yes, I chose pink to flaunt that same tradition! My favorite part of wearing it is having other women raising a fist in support.” - Cathy Gudis
A Doctor in the White House
When Dr. Jill Biden became our First Lady, our artist Melanie Green (pictured below) wanted to celebrate. She created this great t-shirt to sing out, “Relax, there’s a Doctor in the White House.”
"Whenever I wear my Dr. Biden shirt, I spark smiles and glances and cheers, collectively celebrating our Ph.D. First Lady!" - Cynthia Campoy Brophy
We thank you for being on this journey with us. In February, it will be two years since we launched! Stay tuned for some exciting developments in 2022.