The chapter reminds us that our objective should be that all group members are able to bring their best self to the work. That we should all feel fulfilled and restored through our collective labor, not drained, or depleted. 

Chapter 7: Working with What You’ve Got - Brainstorming and Mapping 

How can we solve for the symptoms of a problem and ensure that the root cause is being considered and addressed? In this chapter Shannon explores the brainstorming process for changemaking and revisits the Ask Why exercise introduced in Chapter 5 to delve deeper into how simple inquiry can lead us from symptom to root cause of even the most complex problems. Resurfacing the case study about used needles being discarded on the beaches in her hometown, she shares the step-by-step approach to brainstorming, resource and power mapping, that informed her emerging strategy for this initiative. 

Start by asking questions. If used needles littering the beach is the symptom, what are possible root causes? People who use drugs may be trying to avoid the violent repercussions of our country’s punitive systems. The stigmatization of drug use and specifically the harsh judgement directed at people who use drugs may be driving them to use in isolated areas like beaches. What are some possible actions that can be taken? On a micro level, organizing beach cleanup efforts addresses the symptom and helps make the beach safe for the community. On a macro level, establishing safe injection sites and a needle exchange program addresses the root cause, and by extension, the symptom. It’s crucial to shift the attitude in the community from me to we, from a beach cleanup that centers property owners and beach goers acting out of self-interest, to action taken by an informed group of neighbors who understand the root causes of the issue that can be addressed for the good of all. 

A pivotal step often overlooked by new activists is sorting out what resources you and your team have at your disposal, what resources you will need, and how to go about creating a path to securing them. Working with what you’ve got is what gets things moving. Knowing what you need is what keeps things moving. Shannon introduces the reader to creating and using a resource map, a visual tool for documenting available resources as well as identifying resource needs that provides a realistic look at what we can take on. By creating a resource map we acknowledge our personal investment and limits (by setting boundaries) and expand our list of potential collaborators by identifying individuals, organizations, and institutions that contribute to the work. 

Power maps are another invaluable tool that activists use to assess relationships and networks relevant to an initiative they are working in support of. Shannon walks readers through her methods for mapping, including the spectrum of allyship, to develop a clear picture of who is in alignment with our vision, who opposes the work, and who could be convinced to join us. She then applies the power mapping process to the beach needles case study for further clarity. 

The goal is to make your activist life manageable, help you keep momentum, and remain consistent and steady in your commitment as a change maker. Resource and power mapping are tools that support activists in making informed and thoughtful decisions that honor our boundaries, help prevent burnout, and ensure we are bringing our best self to our work. 

By this point in the book, readers have zeroed in on an issue they are passionate about working to support, assembled a team of individuals whose values are aligned on the issue, brainstormed ways to solve the problem, and identified available resources. Now it’s time to set some goals! 

The only way to make change is to clearly articulate exactly what we are trying to accomplish. This chapter will demonstrate how to establish and evaluate S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-based) goals for short and long-term impact. Once again resurfacing the beach needles case study, Shannon takes readers through the process of creating goals using the S.M.A.R.T framework. For example, instead of saying the goal is to hold a beach cleanup, we would use the S.M.A.R.T model to clarify that goal: By June 2nd (Time-based), we will have commitments from at least ten neighbors (Measurable) to participate in the beach cleanup (Relevant) which will happen on July 5th at Fore River Beach (Specific and Attainable). Readers will have a chance to see several examples relevant to the case study as well as practice setting their own S.M.A.R.T goals. 

How the collective feels while working toward a goal is profoundly important and Shannon introduces the idea of Sentiment-led goals as part of the framework (S.S.M.A.R.T). We are most productive when we enjoy the process and the people we are working with, which is why Sentiment-led goals—part intention setting, part expectation setting—are positioned ahead of the first S in S.M.A.R.T. Once readers have mastered S.S.M.A.R.T goals, they will be introduced to S.S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals, which expand the idea of goal setting to include evaluation and revision. 

The chapter closes with a reminder of why goals are important for a variety of reasons: they establish milestones and provide opportunities to celebrate wins, honor progress that keeps morale and motivation high, and remind onlookers that actions drive change. 

Chapter 9: Ok Cool, Now What? - Messaging and Tactics 

Now that we have our foundation, we can move on to the crafty stuff—and this is where the magic happens! Readers will learn how to develop relevant and transformative messaging, narratives, and counter narratives in support of their goals and objectives using their creative medium of choice. 

The chapter showcases three of Shannon’s most viral pieces (I’m so Angry, Boys will be Boys, and Covid) and explores what about their tone, messaging, and approach led them to become so popular. Shannon then walks readers through the process of developing impactful messaging using the working case study about used needles being discarded on the beaches in her hometown for context. She asks readers to: 

1. Clarify what their messaging will accomplish through more goal setting. 

2. Identify the target audience they are trying to connect with. 

3. Determine what they want their audience to feel and what action they want them to take. (We analyze the messaging of four major animal rights organizations). 

4. Analyze the messaging by those who align with our work and those who oppose it. 

5. Keep it simple but deep. 

Once the message is clarified, it’s time to spread it! Developing strategic tactics for change making is a combination of ingenuity, marketing, advertising, and execution. This is the moment to invest in visualizing how craft and art can help you meet your goals. 

Beyond goals, audience, and resources, Shannon offers up other considerations including: 

1. What skills are in the room? 

A skills inventory is a great way to kick off an initial planning meeting. This is an opportunity for the team to share their skillsets (and deal breakers), and will undoubtably lead to brainstorming of innovative ideas. 

2. How do we ensure our tactics are accessible? 

When we create events, materials, presentations, and outreach prioritizing accessibility we demonstrate that we are creating a safe and inclusive environment. Shannon includes an accessibility checklist. 

3. How can we make it as easy as possible for people to take action? 

The key to getting people to act is to clearly articulate what you need and want them to do. Make sure your asks are explicit (Ex. donate, sign the petition, attend this event, sponsor, share this post, call your legislator) 

4. What are other ways to spread the word quickly? 

Get creative and think like a marketer. How can we amplify our message and needs wider and faster? What partnerships can we explore? Would the press be interested in our story? Could you get an invite onto a relevant popular podcast? Do you need a website? Are there events happening that your target audience will attend? If so, can you table, advertise, get stage time, or even just attend to network? 

5. How do we mitigate risk? 

Proactively name all risks that you can think of related to your tactics. How do you plan for them? 

Words hold power and can incite action. It is a tremendous responsibility that we all hold, and it should not be taken lightly. Taking the time to slow down and build the blueprint for your messaging is arguably the most important part of this process. Having clear goals, understanding your audience, knowing your resources, and crafting effective messaging will make it simpler to conceive of effective tactics for spreading your message and inspiring action. The best part is that this process will make every step easier and keep things organized. 

Chapter 10: Well, That Was Fun - Milestones, Timelines & Assessments 

Many craftivists and art activists come for the fun and languish with the spreadsheets. Project management can be a struggle and many brilliant ideas sadly collapse under the weight and frustration of disorganization. Every project, event, or action requires a strong organizational system to be successful and ensure that we are meeting our goals, evaluating our progress, making changes as needed, and most importantly maintaining momentum. If organization is not your strong suit, make sure the team that you create or join has plenty of Marie Kondo types to support the initiative. 

Getting organized doesn’t have to be complicated nor does it require fancy apps or programs. Using the beach cleanup case study, Shannon demonstrates how she lays out and plans all the steps needed to accomplish goals, using a simple spreadsheet approach that translates to a shared calendar. Other documents crucial to organizational success include a financial tracking spreadsheet and contact management system. Shannon also recommends keeping an archive of agendas, meeting notes, brainstorms, marketing collateral, photographs, videos, testimonials, and anecdotes. These resources will be invaluable moving forward, making it easier to tell your story and share your successes with others. Sharing what you have done and learned isn’t bragging—it’s power building, base building and may inspire others who want to model their strategy around your successfully executed initiative. Lastly, a post-action assessment will clarify when and how to escalate, iterate, pivot and frankly, when to call it quits. Not every idea will work and that’s ok! Learn from it and try again with a revised strategy. 

Shannon closes out the chapter with a compelling story about her work with youth immigrant and refugee students in Chicago during her tenure at Asian Americans Advancing Justice. It encompasses all the strategic elements covered in the book and exemplifies the powerful impact strategic thinking combined with art can have on creating institutional change. 

Chapter 11: To Sum It Up - The Activist Lifestyle 

It is much easier to find hope when you have clarified your purpose and committed to having a positive impact on the world every day. This chapter synthesizes the predominant messages from everything the reader has learned thus far on their journey and invites them to create a vision and mission statement for their new activist lifestyle. Shannon offers hard-earned wisdom and advice from a lifetime of activism and over a decade as an outspoken voice in the craftivism community, including both proactive and reactive self and community care for the activist soul. 

The activist lifestyle centers a lifelong commitment to taking action, every day, in support of the issues we are most passionate about and to create the kind of world we want to live in. Shannon underscores the importance of cultivating a self-awareness practice and paying attention to internal cues (lack of sleep, drinking more alcohol than usual, loss of motivation) to pro-actively prevent burnout and overwhelm. As creatives and change makers, understanding our limits and making sure our boundaries are heard and respected is what allows us to do the sustained worked required to effect societal change without sacrificing our own wellbeing. 

We know the power of art in shaping culture, engaging community, and finding voice. Using these tools to expand the work of activist movements is transformative. Centering the activism and supporting it with art is how we proliferate the impact of our work. Art offers us a portal to collaboration and community, and a mechanism for advocacy. Creativity is the singular most valuable asset in reimagining what is possible. There is no transformation without art. There is no transformation without you. 

Chapter 12: Time to Move the Needle - Planning Templates 

This chapter provides readers with a robust planning template to build out their own craftivism project or action. The planning template empowers readers to apply everything they have learned to address an issue of social or political importance that they want to take action on. There will be an example template that will use our working case study to fill in all the sections to further clarify how the document should be used. The document will cover our entire activist journey—from creating a vision/mission statement, identifying a target issue and skillsets, team building, problem and root cause analysis, research, resource and power mapping, goal setting, tactics, spreading the word, assessment, and celebration. Readers will walk away empowered to level up their craftivism work for maximum impact! 

The book closes with an embroidery pattern – Go Do Good 

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