By Cami Hoffman, Raven Corps San Diego
Why stickers?
Whether you’re advocating for humans, animals, or the planet, stickering is always a simple and effective way to spread the good word.
I used to be very into the animal rights stickers with disturbing facts; the ones that would hopefully shock people into going vegan (think: “This package contains the flesh of a decomposing animal”). Don’t get me wrong, I think there certainly is a time and place for this sort of message. Personally, I’ve branched off from that brand of stickering. I focus more on accessible calls to action; things that are easy to do, mobilize people, and spark their curiosity. Then they can do further research and learning on their own time.
It’s pretty easy to make your own stickers, even if you don’t have the means to print your own. Stores like Staples and Michael’s have blank stickers that you can hand write on. I’d recommend keeping your messages short and using a thick black marker so it’s easy to read.
I most recently made stickers regarding racism and police brutality, so I will use those as an example.
What do I write on the stickers?
- Conversation starters
- When did you learn about race?
- How can you be anti-racist instead of non-racist?
- Numbers to text
- Text “FLOYD” to 55-156
- Text “JUSTICE” to 66-8336
- Petitions to sign
- Sign “Justice for Ahmaud Arbery” on change.org
- Sign “Justice for Breonna Taylor” on change.org
- Things to watch
- Watch “13th” on Netflix
- Watch “When They See Us” on Netflix
- Accounts to follow
- Follow @blklivesmatter on Instagram
- Follow @colorofchange on Instagram
- Hashtags (If you have room, you can put a relevant hashtag on all your stickers using a thinner pen.)
- #BlackLivesMatter
- #DefundThePolice
- #DefendBlackLives
Where do I put the stickers?
Ideally, you’ll want to put the stickers somewhere with lots of foot traffic. I’d recommend scoping out your locations, then going at a time when it’s least busy. (Don’t wanna get caught in the act!) Make sure you place your stickers so that it’s eye-grabbing and easy to read. Here’s a few ideas:
- Directory maps in malls
- Trash cans
- Pedestrian crossing buttons
- Bathroom mirrors
If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, you’ll probably want to keep the stickering limited to the great indoors. Avoid concentrating your stickers in one location (i.e. a small mom & pop shop). Rather, try to disperse them as widely as you can at whatever area you are in. For instance, if you’re at a mall, try to hit up the directory maps throughout the mall.
Good luck!
