Nedra Bonds: The angry quilter
Numerous protests have taken place since the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014, but only one has taken the form of a handmade quilt. Its creator, Nedra Bonds, explains the motivation behind her design and talks about a lifetime of teaching, protesting and stitching.
Around the time of the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, I heard an interview with a teacher on public radio.
He related how he had conducted an experiment, in which he went into elementary school classes and said to the children, "Assume the position!" And fourth graders knew what that meant - get up against the wall with your hands up.
That is amazing to me, and so, so sad.
Children should only have to put their hands up to ask questions in class or give an opinion. And they should use their fists for cheering on their team, not fighting in the streets.
That was why I put these little cheerleaders in the quilt I made for Ferguson, which I called The Finger and The Fist.
They say there are a few people who make things happen, more people who watch things happen, and a whole lot more who ask: "What just happened?"
That's why I say the quilt is about you. What are you going to do? What are you going to think? What are you going to say?
I have watched people react in different ways. Some engage with it. Some turn away. Some laugh. Those who know me say, "Oh that's just Nedra!"
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