The local organization tackles important issues through song
By LAILA AZHAR — features@theaggie.org
The Davis Raging Grannies are a chapter — or a “gaggle,” as they call it — of the international organization of Raging Grannies.
The first Raging Grannies was a group of women in Canada. In 1987, in response to the presence of US Navy warships and submarines in Victoria, they launched a series of creative protests, often including singing songs and dressing up in costumes.
“Young people that see us are often surprised,” Lynne Nittler, a founding member of the Davis chapter of Raging Grannies said. “They probably think: ‘These are old ladies, what are they doing out here?’”
Dressed in wide-brimmed hats decorated with flowers, patterned aprons and feather boas, the Davis Raging Grannies can be found singing songs such as “Deck the Halls (of Congress)” and “I’m Dreaming of a Trump Free Christmas.”
The subject of the songs often have to do with serious issues such as climate change and voting rights. But their weekly rehearsals are filled with positivity. The women check in with each other, laughing and chatting as they make revisions to their songs. For them, activism also includes building a community.
The Davis chapter was formed as a direct response to the 2016 election, a time during which many people were looking to get involved in politics.
“Most of us grew up during the 60s and 70s and we were kind of steeped in activism,” Jeanette Vance, a member of the Davis Raging Grannies, said.
“The Vietnam War,” Nittler said. “As the guys in our classes went off and fought, some didn’t come back.”
When she first saw a notice recruiting women for Raging Grannies, Vance was reminded of the activism going on around her during the years of the Vietnam War.
“I wasn’t active at that time, but I was just starting to vote, so I was voting for all the peace candidates,” Vance said. “But when Trump was elected, it flipped a switch in my mind. I saw that notice and thought, this would be so good for me — to be with other people that felt the same thing, and to make some noise, to protest.”
Since then, the Davis Raging Grannies have sung at the farmers market, marched in the picnic day parade and participated in protests such as the Women’s March in Sacramento and the Climate March in San Francisco.
Nittler said they aim to bring an air of positivity to politics.
“There’s enough bitterness and negativity out there,” Nittler said. “Even if something has a serious meaning, if you say it couched in a song it becomes an earworm. [People] remember the idea, or just laugh, not because the topic is not a serious one, but because that can break down barriers.”
Hearing political messaging coming from a group of “grannies” is surprising for some. The members of Davis Raging Grannies believe it is precisely that surprise that makes their message memorable.
“In general, the whole idea of dressing up like grannies is to appear like harmless little old women,” Vance said.
Vance also said that the positive feelings of affection surrounding grandmothers helps to push their message.
“Yes, everyone has good feelings about their grandmother,” Vance said. “To try and shake them out of their complacency presents a contrast; Here’s something that you didn’t expect to have teeth behind it, but there’s a real purpose.”
UC Davis students say the group inspires important conversations about activism.
“A lot of Gen Z’s political engagement happens online,” Zara Hashim, a third-year psychology major, said. “Groups like the Raging Grannies are a great example of the fact that we shouldn’t forget the importance of building community and engaging with politics locally.”
For the group, providing inspiration to younger generations is a key part of their mission.
Despite the fact that the group feels discouraged by the results of the recent election — after all, it was Trump’s election in 2016 that sparked the chapter’s inception — the Davis Raging Grannies have hope for the future.
“That’s one of the things that I’ve found the most satisfying about being a part of the group too, is the idea of passing on the torch to the next generation,” Nittler said. “We want to engender the idea that activism and wanting to do something to try and make the world a better place, can start when you’re young, but it can continue your whole life.”
Written by: Laila Azhar — features@theaggie.org
