One of the most interesting modern craftivist groups I came across in my research is the Social Justice Sewing Academy (SJSA). SJSA is a non-profit founded in 2017 that uses textile art as a way to push for social change.
Their main focus is on workshops for young people, where participants learn sewing skills and use art to talk about issues like gender discrimination, mass incarceration, gun violence, and gentrification. These workshops give youth space to express their own experiences and emotions while also helping raise awareness in their communities.
Projects
SJSA has several ongoing projects, including:
🕯️ The Remembrance Project
A community art effort that creates banners to memorialize people lost to violence. These banners are displayed at events and by local organizations to honor victims and support social justice efforts.
🧵 Memorial Quilts
Volunteers create custom quilts for families who’ve lost a loved one to violence. Their website has links if you want to volunteer to sew a quilt or request one to be made.
📚 The Anti-Racist Guidebook
SJSA also offers a downloadable guidebook focused on anti-racism. You can find it here.
✂️ Ways to Get Involved
You can also:
- Host an exhibition or workshop
- Volunteer as a sewist or teacher
- Support them through donations
Worth Checking Out
Their gallery has a lot of powerful work created in these workshops—it’s personal, emotional, and speaks to real experiences. I definitely recommend taking a look, or just doing a quick image search to see what they’ve done. It’s inspiring and really sticks with you.
Fray Dikat Studio 
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