Isabelle interviews Shannon Downey, aka Badass Cross Stitch, a nationally recognized activist, artist, author and educator. Shannon lives in Chicago and has been organizing community members and resisting the violence of federal agents deployed as part of the Trump administration's Operation Midway Blitz. Since its start in September of 2025 -- this federal invasion of an American city -- has grown in both size and brutality. But something that should not get lost in this narrative is the love, bravery and ferocity that Chicagoans are exhibiting as they defend their communities and their city. Their organizing and tactics provide a model for communities around the country.  
Photo by: Shannon Downey