Check out this exquisite equation: craft + activism = craftivism.  Craftivism was born in the first few years of the 21st century, surfacing on the Internet in 2003, when the term was coined by Betsy Greer. It involves engaging creativity, especially regarding political or social causes, to help bring about positive change through personalized activism. Projects that are defined as “craftivism” include things like teaching ... Read More

We all know that BUST cover queen Amy Poehler tends to keep good company like Tina Fey, Rashida Jones and Aubrey Plaza. But you’re probably less familiar with Poehler’s friend Dr. Jane Aronson, an amazing woman with fabulous blue glasses who dedicates her life to helping orphans in Haiti. On the latest episode of Smart Girls at the Party, Poehler interviews Aronson and celebrates her life’s work as CEO and founder of  ... Read More

25-year-old graffiti artist Shamsia Hassani is one of the handful of Afghan “art activists” who have been taking to the streets of Kabul to paint political pieces around the war-torn city. Her motivation is to bring art to Afghanistan and get people thinking. Before graffiti, the self-taught artist served as an associate professor of sculpture at Kabul University. Shamsia has traded traditional art for spray cans and ... Read More

A woman on a bike is no big deal, right? The average female cyclist doesn't raise many hairs these days, but as we pointed out in last fall's Oct/Nov story "Riding High," this hasn't always been the case. In Victorian America, it was actually pretty taboo for women to ride, and the ensuing restrictions helped to spark the activism of the twentieth century women's rights movement. Over a century later, history is repeating itself in ... Read More

Turns out Sarah Silverman's not the only one in her family who likes to make waves-- her sister, Rabbi Susan Silverman, got arrested in Jerusalem for a protest on religious rights on Monday. In a demonstration for civil rights group Women of the Wall, Silverman and nine other women prayed in traditional men's clothes in the women's section of the Western Wall. As the last remaining section of King Solomon's Temple, the Western Wall is ... Read More

2 Chainz has one request in his latest track: dude just wants some “big booty hoes.” But not everyone is okay with this portrayal of women, especially when they see the music video for the popular “Birthday Song,” where the objectification of these women is so incredibly apparent. In the vid, 2 Chainz, Kanye West, and some male friends are partying it up in the company of beautiful women of color who have—you ... Read More

When I was a kid, there was a woman in my neighborhood called The Nail Lady. I’m sure that she had a proper name, but to my five-year-old self, her epic and ever-present nail art eclipsed any of her other characteristics. Every time I ran into The Nail Lady on the way to the school bus, I took careful note of her inch-long acrylic tips, which were always decked out with a new design. And while The Nail Lady’s seasonal nails were ... Read More

It's rare that a craft book seeks crowd funding in order to go ahead, but this is just the case with the Craftivist Collective's Little Book Of Craftivism.  Brit founder Sarah Corbett, who started out blogging as A Lonely Craftivist (and self professed burnt out activist), has captured U.K. press attention and grown a worldwide group of like-minded crafters passionate about ending equality via the power of craft.  With the ... Read More

  A couple of weeks ago, we announced the good news that Verizon improved their policies to assists victims of domestic violence, such as a new protocol for cancelling contracts with abusers.  Now, Verizon is taking their campaign on the road in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, spreading awareness in local communities via their “Journey of Hope” bus that will have stopped in six cities in America by the end ... Read More

Not too long ago, the BUST Blog covered a New York woman’s efforts to re-vamp Verizon’s cancellation policies for domestic violence survivors. Almost 200,000 signatures later, her petition was successful! Today, as part of its annual Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Verizon is implementing some brand-new policy changes to better assist victims of partner violence. Customer service reps now have specific protocol for assisting ... Read More