Knitivism

This past Friday the students on our campus staged a knit-in event at the student union in order to raise awareness (and $$$) about the genocide in Darfur. Earlier in the week I had been a guest knitter (!!) in a Women's Studies class that was also participating in the event. Beyond selfishly wondering about whether I had finally crossed the magic threshold which would allow all my yarn to become tax-deductable seeing as I was (sort of) teaching a knitting class, I was truly inspired by the will and determination of the Knitivists.

With the exception of the excitement generated during the last election, this campus tends to be one of the lesser politically engaged ones I've been at (unless beer drinking is a political act, cuz in that case this might very well be one continual May '68 round these parts). I was raised by two rabble rousers myself and admit that as an undergrad I might have handed out leaflets for a leftie organization and picketed a few meat packing plants because a. these were interests of mine and b. I was desperately trying to hang on to a dead-end relationship with the president of the progressive student organization on campus and pathetically making sure that no other PIRG chicks were horning in on my territory. (Scott S. if you are reading this you still owe me $40 and I want all my Paul Auster novels back). So it was exciting to see this activism on campus and I am glad to say that the students are a good deal more committed than yours truly was back in the day.


Students came by and the group talked to them about Darfur and taught them to knit. I chitchatted with several of the students and enjoyed seeing so much interest in both causes. My only regret is that I didn't bring some smaller wooden needles to donate as I wonder if trying to learn on those giant aluminum needles isn't much harder than it needs to be...

Both events were exciting. One of the joys of working on a college campus is that there are groups for every possible interest. This weekend my Harajuku Hoop arrived from Hoopnotica, and ever since I have been trying to get the hang of hooping. (Thanks Stephanie for the inspiration!) My next mission is to hook up with the campus Hoopers and really revisit my youth...