“Becoming an artist was so maligned in my family—I had to turn against the people who loved and supported me in order to do what I really believed in.”
– Krista Suh, Feminist, Activist, Author, Creator of the Pussyhat Project
Krista Suh is a trailblazer of our times. A passionate feminist, she is strongly invested in women’s rights and is the driving force behind the groundbreaking Pussyhat Project. Before becoming a successful writer, Krista had to fight patriarchy, demolish cultural stereotypes, and pursue the path less trodden.
Courage to Leave Safe Shores
Krista grew up in a typical Asian-American household. Her family prized academic excellence above anything else. Krista did not disappoint—she was a straight A’s student, a consummate piano player, a black belt in Taekwondo, community service leader, and much more.
Enrolled in college for pre-med, Krista was well on her way to fulfill her parents’ dreams. Krista, however, had her heart set on becoming a writer. She decided to leave college, and pursue writing full time. Stunned and scandalized, her family scoffed at her leaving a safe career. Krista recounts, “Overnight I went from prized sheep to black sheep.”
Her family felt it was an insult to all their efforts they had invested in her; Krista’s father even disowned her for a while.
It wasn’t easy for Krista. She loved her parents dearly, and had riled them so badly with her decision. She however took the risk to stick to her convictions even if that meant going against her family’s wishes. Eventually, she got her parents around. “Becoming a writer was the biggest risk I’ve ever undertaken, and it’s given me the biggest reward,” says Krista.
From Creative Art to Activism
Krista says, “Becoming a writer allowed me to know myself better and paved the way to become an activist.” As creator of the Pussyhat Project, Krista transformed a simple idea into a worldwide movement and symbol in just two months. She leveraged social media and the global knitting community to organize millions of people around the world wearing cat-ear-shaped hats to support women’s rights. A massive success, the Pussyhat Project featured on the covers of TIME and The New Yorker.
In a world replete with strife, Krista offers hope, encouragement, love, and a powerful sense of community to readers and women in the U.S. and beyond.
Feminism and Beyond
Krista is not just questioning patriarchy, but she is questioning all the set rules and establishments. She recently launched her new book “DIY RULES FOR A WTF WORLD: How To Speak Up, Get Creative and CHANGE THE WORLD.” The book is an anthology of Krista’s insights about feminism and equality.
Krista sums it up beautifully, “Women everywhere can take a stand, whether it’s International Women’s Day or not, and sometimes, the most revolutionary thing is to speak from the heart to those closest to you.”
