Occidental College’s Food, Energy and Sustainability Team (FEAST) Garden, alongside environmental creative and activist Leah Thomas hosted a “Crafting in the Garden” event Oct. 4. The event was open to all ages and sponsored by Oxy Arts. Thomas is an LA-based author and speaker who hosts numerous events around LA advocating for a better community through environmentalism.
Thomas hosts “Crafting in the Garden” each month in a different LA garden. Thomas said she started her crafting series, Green Girl Craftsman, in May as a way to bring joy to the community amid the sadness, anger and confusion that has been lingering due to recent political events.
“I found myself doing lots of crafts from ceramics, to sewing, to painting, to necklace making, to just cope,” Thomas said. “I felt like maybe I could invite some more people to do this with me in some of the nature spaces I’ve been in.”
According to Thomas, she launched her nonprofit, Intersectional Environmentalist, in 2020 during a time of several social movements, including Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate. According to Thomas, she hoped that by creating the nonprofit, she could demonstrate to others that social justice movements can always be tied back to the environment.
Alongside her non-profit organization, she also published a book, “The Intersectional Environmentalist,” which discusses how environmentalism and social justice movements are interlinked.
Miranda Fox-Peck (sophomore), who attended the event, said the event was very grounding. According to Fox-Peck, the event reminded her of being a kid. Fox-Peck said doing activities, like making arts and crafts, that tie an individual back to childhood, is good for the soul.
“Making something beautiful is grounding,” Fox-Peck said. “I also think just being outside and being surrounded by people that are happy and all crafting is a really good grounding vibe.”
Graham Luethe (senior) helped organize the event and said it was a welcoming environment and that he enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere.
“The event was very cute and whimsical,” Luethe said. “The turnout was great, and it was fun seeing families together crafting on a Saturday morning.”
According to Thomas, this was her second time working with Occidental College. Thomas said during her book tour for “The Intersectional Environmentalist,” she encouraged students to reach out to organize future events at their schools. Thomas previously worked with the College for a student-driven concert that featured local activists and handed out free books.
“I’ve always just really been a fan of Oxy,” Thomas said. “I just think it’s a cool school with good people.”
Thomas said that, unlike other activists who are passionate about exactly what they want to do from a young age, she has a different mindset when it comes to her advocacy. Thomas said she doesn’t advocate for specific topics among the environmental scale, but believes that everybody is deserving of having clean food, water and air.
“Sometimes I do get imposter syndrome because I know so many activists [are passionate about a single topic],” Thomas said. “I happen to be blessed to be able to do this full time […] I just like the earth.”
Thomas said making crafts creates a moment of mindfulness, which is why she heavily advocates for others to create art pieces like bracelets and buttons in an outdoor environment. According to Thomas, being outside, enjoying the sun and creating crafts has a good impact on an individual’s mental health.
“There’s a healing power of nature [and being] in a third space,” Thomas said. “I’m not religious, but a lot of people don’t go to church anymore. So a lot of people don’t have a weekly thing that they go to in community with people, with shared beliefs. So what if we create a third space where the only shared belief is we like to craft?”
Contact Brynn Begley at Begley@oxy.edu
