Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Neha S. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Neha, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project I have taken on as an artist was my transition into turning myself into a “full time fundraiser.” I resisted turning my hobby into a business because I did not want to be forced to “have to” do my art for the sake of turning a profit. On the other hand, I had many friends and acquaintances interested in my work — but expected me to put in hours and hours into pieces for them, for free. As a happy medium, I decided to list selected pieces of mine on a website, and I donate 100% of my profits. Since starting this venture in 2020, I have raised over $21,000 to date for various causes.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Neha (known as NehaXStitch online) and I’m a Bay Area based embroidery artist. Embroidery is how I have grappled with the South Asian-American experience and ongoing social justice conversations with a touch of humor. I donate 100% of my profits and have never kept a single dollar for myself – I just love to create embroidery or fiber based art and share it with my friends and followers!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The nature of my work often garners a lot of hate online. One example of this is when I posted an embroidery piece with the quote “Gun violence is preventable.” Somehow, the post made its way to the feeds of many right-wing accounts, who began spewing hateful comments and even death threats towards me. At first, it was a little scary, but it also helped me realize that standing up for the right thing isn’t always going to be roses and rainbows. Ultimately, the comments drove engagement to my post, pushing it to more people, which also brought in a ton of positive support!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist who has the privilege and the ability to donate all of her profits is that I truly am creating change with the help of my followers and supporters. Each time I post a fundraiser or push a new product, total strangers put their trust and hard earned money towards me, and together we’re enacting change for those who need it most.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nehaxstitch.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nehaxstitch
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nehaxstitch