The Creative Change Makers Zoom Calls

June 3: “Dear America” Cootie Catchers

In April we made resistance cootie catchers. On May Day, a bunch of us dropped them in our communities as part of the nationwide Fall of Freedom event.

For June 3rd, we're going deeper and more personal.

We'll explore what I'm calling our "civic grief" — the grief about our country that most of us are carrying around but not quite saying out loud — and transform it into "Dear America" letters in the format of a cootie catcher toy.

I'll lead you through a few writing prompts to help you find your way into your particular letter — to the country itself, to the land beneath our feet, or to the ideals we hoped we could live up to as a society. Then we'll choose our best bits and distill that tenderness into the structure of the toy. I'll show you how.

Because our catchers are anonymous, you can be completely honest. You might be handing your heart to a stranger — but without standing naked in the public square.

My hope is that we can drop these in our communities over July 4th weekend as a quiet, deeply personal counter-narrative to the inevitable "fascism is democracy, corruption is honesty" bombardment headed our way.

Wednesday June 3rd — 9am Pacific / 10am Mountain / 11am Central / Noon Eastern

Come even if you don't feel creative. Come even if you're just curious. Just bring your feelings and your honesty — that's enough.

This call is FREE for paid subscribers of The Pink Teacup.

An annual paid subscription to The Pink Teacup is only 36.00/year right now. You can also sign up for a single month if you prefer.

If you are a paid subscriber and you need the link to register, please email me at bush.sarahATgmail.com.

If you are not yet a paid subscriber but would like to join us, Click here to learn more.

Once you sign up, the welcome email will have a link for you to register for the zoom call.

I look forward to seeing you!

Questions? Email Sarah at bush.sarahATgmail.com

SCHEDULE OF ZOOM CALLS

The calls are now on the first Wednesday of each month at 9am Pacific, 10am Mountain, 11am Central, and Noon Eastern.

Here’s the schedule for the next several calls:

  • Wednesday, February 4, 2026.

  • Wednesday, March 4, 2026.

  • Wednesday April 1, 2026

  • Wednesday May 6, 2026

  • Wednesday June 3, 2026

PAST TOOLKITS FROM PREVIOUS CHANGE MAKERS MEETINGS
THAT ARE FREE TO DOWNLOAD

Click HERE to downlaod the “Inspiring Women of Resistance” cootie catcher.

Click HERE to download the “Stop the Broligarchy” cootie catcher.

Click HERE to download the Resistance Bunnies toolkit.

Click HERE to download the Resistance Valentines toolkit.

CREATIVE CHANGE MAKERS: WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

The one hour monthly Creative Change Makers Zoom calls are life-affirming containers where we explore do-able ways of being creative in our resistance to rising authoritarianism and to claim our agency through creative action. To find a bit of joy and connection through the pro-activity of making.

Some calls might feel like a quilting bee or a “stitch and bitch” session where we bring our individual creative resistance projects to the zoom and keep each other company as we create. On others, I might share a simple technique or walk you through how to fold a different type of zine using a template I send via email.

(Click here and here to see some of the fun and effective “tiny signs” we’ve made in the past and stuck in oddball spots like the produce section of the grocery store. )

At the end of each call, we’ll also take time to talk about where and how we’ll put our creative resistance creations out in the world. To figure out how to weave frequency and regularity into our creative acts of resistance so they can be effective.

We’ll consciously develop our creative resistance habit—each unique to ourselves while having the group energy to lean on and help us be accountable.

But most importantly, the Creative Change Makers calls will always be a place to ask questions or get re-inspired. A place to rest with fellow creative resisters so you can continue to weave your thread.

—————————IN THE MEANTIME —————————

Here’s a list of other potential ideas for creative change-making to spark your imagination:

  • Print, paint, or sew a flag of resistance or solidarity that hangs outside your house or apartment window.

  • Write a zine about vote suppression that you casually leave on coffee shops tables.

  • Bake blue and yellow iced Ukrainian flag cookies that you bring to work for your right-wing coworkers to enjoy unbeknownst.

  • Make “did you know” single-fact flyers that you stick on car windshields in a grocery store parking lot.

  • Design a saucy bumper sticker, a righteous pin, or an audacious t-shirt that you share with like-minded souls.

  • Weave nature crowns or construct witches hats to wear with friends at your next protest—or plan a crown-making party where you’ll invite your local friends to come to your place to create them with you.

  • Paint handmade signs that are funny or wacky or graphic or gorgeous to bring to protests and share with folks who showed up without one.

  • Order custom “democracy” M&Ms or “Rule of Law” conversation heart candies and put them out at your PTA meeting or church coffee hour.

  • Choreograph a public dance project that celebrates reproductive rights.

  • Stitch a quilt to auction at a fundraiser for the displaced.

  • Make tiny protest messages that show up in unexpected places in your community—perhaps left in a grocery store shopping basket or taped to a bathroom stall at a rest stop or the gas station mini mart.

There is no wrong, no too small, no too wacky no too mundane. If it excites you, or feels fun, or, if you’re like me, it makes you involuntarily raise your eyebrows while you smile mysteriously and twirl your invisible mustache, that’s all that matters.