by Natalia Kirychuk, Student Public Relations Writer
On Thursday, January 17, 16 Cedarville students will travel to Washington, D.C. to attend the 2019 March for Life. One of those students will be dressed a little differently than the others.
Susanna Edwards, a senior middle childhood education major from Delta, Pennsylvania, spent her Christmas break covering a dress with baby clothes. Edwards will wear the dress to the march on Friday.
While attending the pro-life LifeTech Conference at Cedarville University on November 10, Edwards began thinking about how to present herself in a way that would communicate her pro-life values creatively and spark curiosity from both pro-life and pro-choice advocates. She thought of how women dressed in fancy ball gowns usually prompt inquiries from passersby. She also recalled how many pro-life advocates pin baby socks to their purse or backpack to prompt conversations. She decided to marry the concepts in a unique way and create a dress made of baby clothes.
Edwards contacted the Miami Valley Pregnancy Resource Center and the Cedarville thrift store, Second Act, to ask for any baby clothes that were damaged or stained and could not be used anymore. Both locations gave clothing for her project. She spent only $21 on the dress. The sewing took approximately 30 hours, but Edwards considered it an act of love.
“As I sorted through the clothes, I thought about how each one had been worn before,” said Edwards. “I thought about the stories behind the pieces of clothing. The only thing I need in life to feel that I belong is to love and be loved. Pro-life advocates need to ensure that mothers feel loved and that they have someone - their unborn child - to love. Love protects, so the love of a pro-life advocate seeks to protect mother and baby.”
Because of this message, Edwards chose a floral onesie that says “love” as the centerpiece of the dress. Along with onesies, she incorporated socks, hats, dresses, shirts and pajamas.
During the march on Friday, Edward's unique and beautiful outfit drew the attention of numerous media outlets. She was interviewed by the Christian Broadcasting Network, National Public Radio, ABC News, World Magazine, and The Daily Signal, a multimedia news organization of the Heritage Foundation.
After wearing it to the march this weekend, Edwards will continue to look for other opportunities to share her creation. Overall, she hopes that it inspires others to think of unique visual prompts that share the heart of the pro-life position.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,193 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.