Jul 22, 2026 · 35 min · 12 segments
When you think of knitting, you might think of a little old white lady in a rocking chair. Our host, Michelle Tyrene Johnson, and her extensive collection of self-made knitwear, would disagree. Or as…
Gaye GlasspieGuest
Michelle Tyreen JohnsonHostSo one of the reasons I have been so excited to talk to you is first of all, the season, this, this podcast, Race Unwrapped, deals with a different topic every, uh, season.
This season it's gonna be about 10 episodes, and I wanted to do a season on art as protest, a- art as social justice.
And, you know, I know people typically think of the traditional arts, music, visual arts.
But as a, as damn near lifelong knitter and crocheter, you know, I'm in my 60s and I've been doing it since I was nine years old.
You know? Um, a- and, and, and just because I know a lot about the community of, of, of the fiber artists, I had to include that in this season, right?
I mean, right? For, I mean, even as recently as this year, you have people knitting red hats as part of protesting ICE and supporting the people of Minneapolis earlier this year.
Um, what do, what do you think about those things? Do you think that those are important ways to protest and stand up for democracy? Or, or do you find it performative?
I don't think that's all that should be done, so I know people take that, that word performative the wrong way.
But there's so much more than just that hat, right? And you have the privilege of sitting home and simply making the hat.
And yes, it is a grand gesture to donate them and whatever the other steps involved with it, but it's so much more, you know? And so, you know, do I agree or not agree? It's one of those battles that I choose to step out of, um, simply because it depends on who you're talking to, what time you're talking to them, you know, what reaction you're gonna get out of them.
So one of the reasons I have been so excited to talk to you is first of all, the season, this, this podcast, Race Unwrapped, deals with a different topic every, uh, season.
This season it's gonna be about 10 episodes, and I wanted to do a season on art as protest, a- art as social justice.
And, you know, I know people typically think of the traditional arts, music, visual arts.
But as a, as damn near lifelong knitter and crocheter, you know, I'm in my 60s and I've been doing it since I was nine years old.
You know? Um, a- and, and, and just because I know a lot about the community of, of, of the fiber artists, I had to include that in this season, right?
I mean, right? For, I mean, even as recently as this year, you have people knitting red hats as part of protesting ICE and supporting the people of Minneapolis earlier this year.
Um, what do, what do you think about those things? Do you think that those are important ways to protest and stand up for democracy? Or, or do you find it performative?
I don't think that's all that should be done, so I know people take that, that word performative the wrong way.
But there's so much more than just that hat, right? And you have the privilege of sitting home and simply making the hat.
And yes, it is a grand gesture to donate them and whatever the other steps involved with it, but it's so much more, you know? And so, you know, do I agree or not agree? It's one of those battles that I choose to step out of, um, simply because it depends on who you're talking to, what time you're talking to them, you know, what reaction you're gonna get out of them.
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