Art by Dylan Metrano
Tomorrow is International Peace Day! Poets Amy Ludwig VanDerwater and Margarita Engle have created a Peace Padlet that will go live tomorrow with all sorts of links to wonderful peace-related projects. Be sure to visit and follow the UN hashtag #peaceday!
I don’t talk about politics here, but I have been wanting some physical sign I could wear to tell people where I stand. When I walk past a person of color or a gay couple or anyone who is unlike me in some way, I feel this sudden and ridiculous urge to say, “I didn’t vote for him. I don’t support white supremacists. I try to only form an opinion about you based on your actions, not on your skin color, age, religion, gender identity, or anything else.”
It’s not too practical to rant at everyone I see, so I wanted something visual. I had worn a safety pin for a long time around the election as a sign of support for people who might be subjected to increased bullying or discrimination. And I liked it, but lots of people I met didn’t know about the safety pin symbol.
So I decided to do a mash-up of safety pin and peace symbol.
I bought some inexpensive supplies.
I sat in a bookstore cafe and assembled some pins. Victory!
Or not. Because I realized that the beads were on the part of the pin that needed to go through clothing. That wouldn’t work! So (luckily a teacher–I think T.J. Shay–told me about these) I had to order some Pincharming safety pins (much more expensive) that have a removable head from Fire Mountain Gems.
Here’s a Pincharming pin.
I just unscrewed the end and threaded on my beads.
And then screwed the pin part back on. Easy peasy.
Here are the completed pins.
I’m hoping these will speak for me. If you’d like one to speak for you, you can enter the giveaway below! I’ll be giving away two pins.
Laura, these are perfect. I want to make some! Thanks for the how to tips. They are also perfect for a makerspace activity in my library. I love your heart.
THanks, Linda–heads-up that each safety pin is $1-$2, depending on how many you buy. You have to buy more than 100 to get the price close to $1 per pin. Sigh. Still very cool, but definitely a budgetary consideration. <3
These are wonderful, Laura. You are wonderful. Thank you, friend. Peace . xx
ps – Would you please post this to the Padlet? xx
Of course–done! I just had to wait for it to go live first:>)
I love the pins. It is a subtle way to support and possibly open up peaceful conversation. Thank you!
I love your problem-solving, Laura. These are terrific! I’m traveling tomorrow but will check to see what everyone shares!
These are wonderful–maybe you could share them and how to make them as part of a school visit. My daughter would have loved making them in 4th or 5th grade.
I would love to, but they are almost $2 per pin, just for the safety pin–not including beads or anything. I’m so sad, as I had visions of making tons and distributing them far and wide :>/ I mean, I could share the directions, but it would be very pricey to actually make them with kids if I had to provide all the materials. I have my thinking cap on, though. Would be so cool to do some kind of writing about peace and also make these…
I would love to see a pin stuck on a holiday ornament to hang on a tree….or a pin on a present’s ribbon. There’s all kinds of neat places.
I hear you on cost if doing with kids.
I love those ideas, Linda!
I’ve been watching KEn Burn’s new documentary VIETNAM and remembering years of protests. I still have the peace symbol I wore on my collar during my years at UC Berkeley. LOVE your peace pins, Laura.
Wow, a lot of history in that peace symbol…I hope you’re still wearing it!