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Krista Suh

Krista Suh (born July 13th, 1987) is an activist, feminist, and artist who became well-known in 2017 when she co-founded the "Pussyhat Project". Born in Los Angeles, California, she studied drama at the University of Southern California before opting to pursue her passion as a writer and activist. She co-founded the Pussyhat Project with Jayna Zweiman in an attempt to use art to advocate for women's rights and to criticize the rhetoric and policies of the newly elected President Donald Trump. Participants in the effort were asked to knit or crochet pink hats with cat ears so they may wear them during the Women's March on Washington and other rallies across the world. The hats developed become a distinctive symbol of the solidarity and fight for women's rights. In addition to her work with the Pussyhat Project, Krista Suh is an advocate for reproductive rights, gender equality, and social justice. She has written for several publications and spoken at events in favor of these issues. Suh's life and work serve as an example of her commitment to using activism and art to empower marginalized groups in order to effect positive social change.

Projects

The Pussyhat

An example of the Pussyhat.

The Pussyhat is a brimless, pink hat or cap that was made by several women who participated in the 2017 Women's March in the United States. These are the outcomes of the Pussyhat Project, a national initiative started by Los Angeles-based screenwriter and architect Jayna Zweiman and Krista Suh to make pink hats for marchers to wear. Crafters from all around the country responded to this request by starting to make these hats using the templates available on the project website. These patterns may be used for knitting, crocheting, or even sewing materials. The initiative aimed to distribute one million hats during the Washington March. The hats were created by Krista Suh as a constructive form of protest for Trump's inauguration. They are constructed from pink yarns or fabrics. Suh, who is from Los Angeles, realized that "we could all wear them, make a unified statement" and decided to construct a hat for herself to wear to the Women's March in anticipation of the cooler weather in Washington, D.C. As stated by Jayna Zweiman, one of the project's founders, "I think it's resonating a lot because we're saying that no matter who you are or where you are, you can be politically active”. Suh and Zweiman created the initial design in collaboration with Kat Coyle, proprietor of The Little Knittery, a local company that sells knitting supplies. Launched in November 2016, the project rapidly gained popularity on social media, with over 100,000 people downloading the pattern to construct the hat.

The Pussyhat Project

The 2017 Woman's March where The Pussyhat Project is handing out hats.

A social movement called the Pussyhat Project aims to advance human rights and increase awareness of issues pertaining to women. The Pussyhat has quickly gained international recognition as a symbol for women's rights, political opposition, and collective action thanks to social media, which has revolutionized communications. Jayna Zweiman, a design architect and artist, was recovering from a major injury in late 2016. Jayna was unable to work or perform intense physical activities, so she looked for an inventive healing method she could use to recover. She enlisted screenwriter Krista Suh to enroll in a crochet class at the Little Knittery, a neighborhood yarn shop close to her Los Angeles residence. The two ladies connected over their shared enthusiasm for women's rights and found inspiration in the rhetoric supporting women's rights in the upcoming ladies's Marches, which led to many long chats in knitting circles. Krista needed a cap to stay warm in the chilly winter weather as she prepared to join the Women's March in Washington, DC, in January 2017. Jayna wanted to find a method to physically "be" there and have her voice heard even if she couldn't attend any of the marches due to her injuries. Both a marcher and a non-marcher came up with the idea of organizing a sea of pink hats at Women's Marches around the world to make a strong and eye-catching visual statement of solidarity and to give those who couldn't participate in person—due to illness, lack of funds, or scheduling conflicts, for example—a visible way to show their support for women's rights. Owner of Little Knittery Kat Coyle created a clever and basic pattern that anybody may use, regardless of experience level. The term Pussyhat was chosen in part to de-stigmatize the word "pussy" and turn it into one of empowerment, as well as to draw attention to the hat's "pussycat ears" design and to protest Donald Trump's crude remarks about how free he felt to "grab 'em by the pussy". Word got out and the fuse was ignited thanks to social media and the tight-knit character of the international knitting community. As a significant piece of feminist history, A Pussyhat is currently housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum's Rapid Response collection, the permanent collection of Michigan State University's museum, and other collections. What began as a straightforward way to express sympathy, involvement, and protest has evolved into a well-known worldwide emblem of political engagement. As part of their Rapid Response Collecting efforts, one of the Pussyhats was added to the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum on February 13, 2017. Rapid Response allows the Victoria and Albert Museum to react quickly to significant events that influence or are influenced by technology, architecture, and design. The hat soon gained popularity as an instantly identifiable way to show support for one another among women and as a representation of the strength of group effort; in February 2017, Time Magazine even featured it on its cover. The pussyhat initiative used social media to spread the news about the knitting design, just as activists in the Age of Revolution made the most of the printing revolution to convey their message and get support. It took off like wildfire, and almost immediately the pink pussyhat gained notoriety as a globally recognized emblem for women's rights. The pussyhat is the embodiment of the modern-day maker movement, which combines new tools and technology with traditional making in the physical world to solve problems and bring new ideas to life, quickly and affordably, while reflecting the ongoing changes in the social and political landscape. Its rapid adoption and global reach are testaments to today's revolutionary design and digital culture.

Evil Eye Gloves

The project Evil Eye Gloves was started by Krista Suh. This initiative aimed to promote harmony and provide participants the capacity to carry out a symbolic act of protection against negative energy. The Evil Eye Gloves' design incorporates the "evil eye," which is believed to be a protective force against envy and animosity in several cultures. Like the Pussyhat Project, which aimed to give a visual symbol of togetherness during the Women's March, the Evil Eye Gloves project aimed to provide a tangible product that may serve as a reminder of resiliency and solidarity. To demonstrate support for marginalized communities, it was advised that participants knit or crochet mittens with the evil eye symbol on them. Craftivism, or the combination of craft with activism, is a common theme in Krista Suh's work. Its goal is to promote social change and provide individuals the means to take part in meaningful actions of protest and solidarity. The Evil Eye Gloves project is one example of her endeavors to utilize art to further social good.