How did the idea for this exhibit come about and how were the quilts found?

Many years ago, scholar Dr. Allida Black visited Geneva, Switzerland, where my husband was posted to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. We struck up a friendship when she learned of Quilt for Change, a project we ran that organized quilt challenge exhibits to raise awareness on issues affecting women globally.

For years, we have talked about organizing an exhibit on women leaders. As we approached the 100th anniversary of women gaining the vote and the 25th anniversary of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton’s famous speech on Women’s Rights as Human Rights, Allida was creating an exhibit for the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. She asked me to invite art quilters to create work to bring these women and this history to life.

The 16 quilt artists invited have all used their voices to raise awareness on a variety of issues. Dr. Black worked with the quilt artists to explore the historical background and the women to be highlighted. From these discussions, each artist chose a historic figure to feature.  

The artists are Alice Beasley, Hollis Chatelain, Lea McComas, the Pixeladies (Deb Cashatt and Kris Sazaki), Susan Shie, Gail Sims, Nancy Turbitt, Michael Cummings, Sylvia Hernandez, Shin-hee Chin, Valerie Goodwin, Patty Kennedy-Zafred, Luana Rubin, Sandra Sider, and myself.

The Social Justice Sewing Academy was also invited and Sara Trail lead workshops with young people who created blocks that were made into a quilt. For me, it was an opportunity to work with so many artists that I admire—what a joy!

Do you feel the issues that this exhibit addresses are perhaps even more urgent now than they were in the past?

Women and their male allies fought for so long, more than 75 years, for women to win the right to vote and even longer for all women to be able to vote. This exhibit highlights the sacrifices made and dangers faced to make that happen.

In many states, measures are being put in place that make voting more difficult. We all deserve the right to vote in free and fair elections. Mail in voting, extending voting times, multiple polling places—these are all legitimate steps taken to make it easier for all of us to participate in our local and national elections. We all lead busy lives, and it can be hard to get to the polling station on a Tuesday, especially if you work and are raising a family, and even more so if you are dependent on public transportation or are home bound.

Our local election poll workers are part of our community. They are working hard (often volunteering) to make it so we can all exercise our right to vote and participate in our democracy. We need to support them.

 What are the challenges history come “alive” for younger generations (i.e. those who’ve never know a world where women couldn’t vote)?

Making history come alive is all about storytelling. So many of us learned history as a list of dates, when in fact, it is made up of the acts of many brave (and some foolish) individuals who sought to change the world.

We are fortunate that we are living in a time when young people feel empowered to stand up and demand change. Knowing the stories of women before us who fought and sacrificed for our right to be full members of our society is inspiring. We should not take the right to vote for granted. Each election is our chance to have a say in how our society is governed.

What would you say to those who say “quilts should not be political or about social issues?

Women have long used quilts to support each other and to speak out. Quilts are more than utilitarian blankets; they are gifts for loved ones, charitable donations to raise money, comfort for those struggling with illness, and memory holders for those who have suffered losses.

Quilting bees have long been a source of moral support for women, a place where they could come together and talk about anything and everything. As a strongly feminine form of art, saying quilts should not be about political issues sounds an awful lot like saying women should be seen and not heard.

Art in all its forms has always been used to comment on the state of the world and quilting is no different. Personally, I love the role quilts play in storytelling and as conversation openers. We all feel that we put something of ourselves into our quilts, why not include hopes and dreams for a better future?

What is the #1 takeaway you want people—all people—to get from this exhibit?

So many women sacrificed so much to make sure we have the right to vote. To honor them we should take all elections seriously. Research candidates and issues, ask questions, decide what your priorities are, and be open but discerning when it comes time to vote.

This is your chance to decide what kind of society you want to live in. Remember the phrase, “By the people, for the people”—that means you. Let us create an atmosphere where we can talk together.