Care, Empower, Promote!
It's been a while, no? Summer is in full swing at Created by Elsie B headquarters, and we hope you are all doing well and finding plenty of time to spin, knit and create. We've had a lot going on behind the scenes, including our continued focus on diversity education. In our search for resources in this area, we came across one that we just love and wanted to share it with all of you. BIPOC in Fiber is a centralized resource that offers easy access to a wide variety of black and indigenous artists around the world. While there are dozens of ways you can reach out to and promote black voices in the fiber arts, purchasing from diverse makers is one of the very best ways to magnify their reach and appreciate their work. We've found so much to love about this website, and we think you will, too!
All About BIPOC in Fiber
The thing that we love the most about BIPOC in Fiber is that they focus on connection. While there is increased attention on the importance of supporting black fiber artists, it can be hard to find good information about which businesses are primarily black owned and operated. What BIPOC in Fiber does is create a centralized directory to promote and empower black and indigenous artists. They have put a lot of time and thought into this tool, and it is super informative and effortless to use. The easy to navigate search tool allows you to browse by keyword, location and category. You will find teachers, authors, spinners, knitters, retailers, organizations, designers and even photographers and bloggers that all impact the fiber world - all in one place! Each listing is tagged with applicable categories, includes a website and/or pertinent contact links and an informative bio so you can get to know the fiber artist. You could totally get lost just looking at all the pretties and making new virtual fiber friends from all over the world to connect with.
Behind the Scenes
While the directory is why you come to BIPOC in Fiber, there are a lot of other useful bits of info on this website. You can read the blog, meet the five artists and designers who founded this resource and read all about the crowdfunding and supporters that made it possible to bring this project to life. Finally, don't forget to check out the FAQ page where you can learn more about the project, including how to join the directory as a BIPOC and how you can support this site with a monetary donation.
The Created by Elsie B team thoroughly enjoyed browsing the sheer beauty that we found on BIPOC in Fiber. We were enamored with the cute dolls and stitch markers by Whitney Marie Anderson and completely enthralled by the fibers from Theresa Hill and the designs of Vanessa Smith, all just on the first page of the directory. We barely scratched the surface of what is available and are excited to browse more of the listings. We hope you will also get lost here while promoting the purpose of diversity in the fiber arts and find your own new favorite fiber friends and fellow artists!
Tell us about your favorite directory listings on BIPOC in Fiber so we can check them out, too! Did you see favorites that you already follow?
**Please note that the photos in this blog are stock photos and not actual photos of fiber artists or anyone associated with Created by Elsie B. We are working on highlighting diversity within our own community but didn't want to neglect promoting this site because we lack this particular resource at this time.**
