THANK YOU to all who contributed to our Kickstarter campaign for Truths We Tell . . . coming in October!
We are still absolutely beaming that these 120 lovely backers below helped us go above our goal of $7k to bring our book to print.
We're FUNDED!!!
We are 100% funded! Truths We Tell: Stories From The Yarn Stage will be going to print and will be widely available in fall 2021.
We are so inspired by the generous support and reception for this book that we want to host something special. If we raise $2k more, for a total of $9k, we will host an outdoor book launch party, featuring live readings from the storytellers featured in the book.
We are absolutely ELATED and so thankful to each of you who have shared your belief in the power of storytelling! With less than 48 hours to go, we look forward to pushing with you to reach this stretch goal.
STAY TUNED!
Thank You to our Kickstarter Backers for From Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair
Our Kickstarter Backers Gave Sew Much
30 Days
Goal: $7,350 / ACTUAL: $9,528
175 Backers
Regarding this outpouring of support, Crystal C. Mercer says, “Every fiber of my being is woven in thanks to all of the people that became a part of a tapestry of supportive love. From Cotton To Silk: the Magic of Black Hair is a dream come true, primarily because you all believed this was an important story to tell. And here we are, telling melaninated babies everywhere that they are beautiful in their natural state. I am so grateful.”
A special thank you goes out to Erica Swallow and Brett Wood, who supported the project at the highest level of $500 or more.
Please help us celebrate these generous backers:
Nichole Acosta
Kelli Russell Agodon
Scott Allen
Isabel Anthony
Michel Arnold
Denise W. Barreto
Shannon Blue
Lindsey and Crystal Boerner
Amy Bradley-Hole
Clint Brockway
Marie Butcher
Amy Carpenter
Melanie Castellano
Denise Chai
Medeleine Chaisson
Tabby Clancy
Tara Cole
Trigaila Cole
K. Coleman
Krystal Kaye Cornelius
Jo Cruz
Ashley Daniels
Derrick and Cara
Amber Dionne
Julianne Dunn
Bukola Ekundayo
Audrey Evans
Hannah M. Evans
Johnny F. Evans
Sydney Lartigue Fameni
Steph FH
Kathleen Fluegel (Auntie Kathleen)
Amber Fonner
Jana Forkel
Laura Frankenstein
Stewart Fuell
Meg Gholson
Jess Gisler
Kimberley H.
Jensyn Hallett
Gin Hartnett
Tanya Hollifield
Adele Holmes
Wendy Holmes
Devon K.
K8
Jen Karetnick
Janis F. Kearney
Danica King
Anna Kimmell
Holly Kinnamont
Marjorie Lacy
Laura
Learning Instigator & Love Activist
Oriana Leckert
Julius K. Lindsay
Emily Loker
Omar McFarlane
Kerri Michael
Mac and Ashley Murphy
Andrea L Neal
Rhonda Owen
Paloma
Ashley Papineau
Jessie Parker
K. Parker
Alexandra E. Payne
Mary Pamela Perez
Petra Philana
Michon J. Pittman
Nicole Pitts in Detroit, Michigan
Heather E. Pristash
Jamila M. A. H. Robinson
The Rodgers Family
Jamila Rowser
SJ
Martin E. Stein and Scott A. Saxon
Jaquay Smalls
Rebecca Lynn Gaylor Snyder
Shan L. Spyker
Kristal Rose Stockman
Melissa Struthers
Erica Swallow
Shawn Sweeney
Sara Swisher
Ivanna Terrell
Benjamin G. Thompson
Luis Torres
Trust Tree
Hilary J. Trudell
Joyce Turley
Stephanie Vanderslice
Shan Ware
Liyah Wasson
Shanika Whitehurst
Tyler Williams
Brett Wood
Yvonne, Curly Girl
We Did It! Kickstarter Funded 129%
WE DID IT, together!
175 Kickstarter backers supported From Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair by Crystal C. Mercer and we finished in 30 days 129% funded with $9,528 pledged. We are SO grateful to everyone who helped us climb to the top.
Although we didn’t reach our full stretch goal, we got close enough that you can expect to see HAIR. SEEN. Heard. Conversations About Our Crowns cards.
THANK YOU! This outpouring of support has helped us dream big, and we are just getting started.
Happy Giving Tuesday! We're 66% Funded and We Need Your Help!
It's giving Tuesday! We love supporting Central Arkansas Library System, Celebrate Maya Project, The C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference, Women's Foundation of Arkansas, and other organizations promoting literacy for all and strengthening women (especially in their creativity).
Crystal C. Mercer's Kickstarter for her book From Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair is an incredible way to support a Black woman artisan in her craft--an entirely hand-stitched children's book representing 467 hours of sewing love. With 80 believers, it's 66% funded! But it's all or nothing and your support means everything. There are loads of handmade rewards at all levels to thank you for backing this project that is unique in all the world. Hope you'll spend a few minutes with "Auntie CC," to see a couple of book pages and learn more!
And whomever you choose to give to today, may you be awash in joy and appreciation for your gifts!
Join Et Alia on Our First Ever Kickstarter with Crystal C. Mercer!
Has this ever been done before? If so, we haven’t seen it! Every page of From Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair shares a bold, beautiful, masterful hand-stitched textile rendering that reflects dozens of hours of skill and love from the hands of Crystal C. Mercer.
The numbers speak: of the 3,716 books surveyed by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) in 2019, Black/African main characters made up only 12%. Don’t you agree that this just won’t do?
With your help, we can position this book as a beacon of self-worth for young Black girls!
Your Kickstarter support will:
Cover Crystal’s cost of textiles and sewing materials
Pay for textile photography by Arshia Khan
Cover book layout design by Dave McClinton at African American Design Group
Bring the retail price point from $21.95 to $19.95 to align it more closely with consumer expectations and make it more accessible to the girls who need its message most
Ensure that publishing costs are covered prior to publication so that we begin public sales with profitability
We are overjoyed to share this book and related rewards at all price points with you, including custom jackets and custom fabric portraits, as well as kente cloth bookmarks and kente totes—
all handmade by Crystal!
If we surpass our goal of $7,350, we’ve got some big surprises up our sleeves.