The Art of Protest

Creating climate action posters with children and showing up in our community to protest.

First up, I want to say sorry for my absence in this space recently. I have been busy holding all the other areas of my life together. Sometimes we just can’t do all the things, and that is OK!

This week I’m talking about showing up in our community, protesting and sharing some social justice colouring pages, which are free to download for paid subscribers.

---

For the last few months, in our home education co-op, we have been working together to support some environmental causes and show up in our community to protest. We decided to take part in a local sustainability fair event, where we had a stall selling up-cycled crafts and fashion, that the children and adults in our co-op had made. We screen printed secondhand t-shirts, tie dyed old clothes and made baskets from scrap fabric and twine. We then sold the items at the community event and gave 100% of the money to 2 environmental charities that the children chose to support; The Bob Brown Foundation, who are protesting the logging of native forests in Tasmania and across Australia, and the Australian Marine Conservation Society who have multiple projects protecting Australian ocean environments.

Up-cycled crafts created for our market stall

The children involved worked so hard making the crafts and selling them at the event; chatting to members of our community about how the items were made and the charities we had chosen to support. It felt good to be out in the world doing something positive.

Our stall at the Uraidla sustainability fair

The following weekend, several families attended a rally in Adelaide organised by The Bob Brown Foundation, protesting the ongoing logging of native forests. It was the first time I have attended a protest with my children. I was a little apprehensive if they would feel comfortable with the noise and business, but they did great. It was such a beautiful day being in community with others and showing up to support our planet.

I would never force my children to attend a protest or even to believe in the same causes as me, but I was keen for them to experience it once, so they can grow up with the knowledge that when we feel like things are unjust, we have a voice. Attending a protest is one of many options available to us to make our voices heard. Others might include writing to members of parliament, voting, donating time or money to a charity, direct action in our community supporting people or nature, or even becoming a politician!

Protest signs to protect native forests

If you are looking for fun and easy ways to make protest posters with your children or in your community groups, I have a range of colouring in pages with can be downloaded from my website MINIMADTHINGS.COM

These include climate action posters, anti-capitalist colouring pages, children’s rights activities and Pride colouring pages. I will share links to download all of these for FREE for paid subscribers to Creative Spaces. (It’s just $6 AUD a month if you want to subscribe!)

I love seeing my printable activity sheets and colouring pages out in the world. If you download any, leave me a message below or send my a photo on Instagram @minimadthings