Activism is an Act of Love: A Love Letter to Black Women

Art work by artist Sonia Whittle

“Indeed, all the great movements for social justice in our society have strongly emphasized a love ethic.”

— bell hooks

As a teenager, a series of serendipitous events led me to volunteer under the angelic guidance of a woman affectionately known as Miss Renée. Miss Renée lived on G Parkway, a residential street in Sacramento known to be the intersection of gang violence. Because of this, G Parkway was known to have one of the highest rates of homicide in my hometown. 

In hindsight, I should have been a little more worried to go into G Parkway every week. But Miss Renée’s presence always made me feel so warm and so safe. 

Despite the fact that my friend and I were the only Filipina members joining a predominantly African American volunteer group, we always felt welcomed and embraced. Miss Renée hosted teens after school for a youth leadership program that taught us how to serve through community drives. But the most memorable transformations happened in her living room, through the simple act of listening to one another’s dreams and affirming them.

Through Miss Renée’s intentional facilitation, we became mirrors for one another, reflecting each other’s possibilities. Her living room was also the first place that taught me about the undeniable power of Black and Asian solidarity despite the fact that I didn’t have very many real-life examples of it during that time. 

It was through this experience that I learned what it meant to truly be in community, where I witnessed true love as a verb; exercised through acts of service and affirmation for others. 

Though my time with her only lasted a few months, what I learned from Miss Renée about the practice of community building has anchored the foundation for my life’s path. She also prepared me to become an activist. 

I have to admit, I was often the one ‘ruining the vibes’ by talking about injustice when all my peers wanted to do was party and have fun. Back then (and perhaps even now), it was annoying and inconvenient to talk about world issues because it punctured holes in the normal, everyday things that people enjoy. Today, even as activism has become more widely embraced, I still find myself being conscious of ‘passing the vibe check’ as I insist on bringing up issues like climate change, fast fashion, and a Free Palestine. 

Why bring in the sharp edges of injustice when all people want is a soft escape from the woes of their everyday lives?  

Why be a party pooper when people just want to watch the Super Bowl? 

Why put myself at risk for because I insist on speaking up? 

Because I was lucky enough to be mentored by women like Miss Renée to learn firsthand that activism is not an inconvenience, but rather AN ACT OF LOVE. 

And she wasn’t the only one. 

As a young Filipina woman in America who didn’t see reflections of myself in the books I read or the television I consumed, it was the mentorship and works of Black women who taught me how to love deeply and profoundly. 

Sonia Sanchez and Toni Morrison taught me how to love the world through my words and stories. I learned I could have a place in feminism and center a love ethic through bell hooks. It is through the activism of Angela Davis and the poetry of June Jordan that taught me what a Free Palestine means to the world.

In my personal life, I learned how transformative it was to make someone feel seen through the affirmation of middle school educators like Natasha Boyd (who I am still friends with to this day!). And most of all, I learned how to love myself by discovering the God in me through the teachings of my former church leader, Reverend E, every Sunday when I lived in Oakland.  

I learned the practice of loving myself and loving on each other through the countless Black women who welcomed me into their hearts as a friend, a mentee, a student and as a mentor.

And while I have been blessed to learn from Black women, I am also conscious of the fact that society tends to place the burden them even though it is NOT their sole responsibility to do the emotional labor of creating a more just and inclusive world.

So my love language is: I will speak up for you. I will do my best to contribute to a healing planet and a world that protects you. I will do my best to make you feel seen and safe and cared for.

Because my activism is an ACT OF LOVE.

With all my heart, 

Your Filpina Sister 

This blog was inspired by recent posts shared by fellow Asian-American women Kay Fabella and Laura Chung. Thank you.

The Wisdom & Wonder of Being Unsure: Key Takeaways from Maggie Jackson's Book, "Uncertainty"

““Uncertainty is WISDOM IN MOTION.”
”

— Maggie Jackson

I think all of us can agree that the word “unprecedented” has been used in, well, an unprecedented amount of times in the last few years. 

We are living amongst volatile geo-political turmoils, a world still recovering from a pandemic, the fear of our planet deteriorating, and rapidly changing transformations across all industries (helloooo AI!). In the sustainable fashion world for example, legislation is set to bring about many changes that will change the future of the industry, stirring up a lot of nervousness about how to adapt. 

Change can stir up scary feelings of uncertainty. But what if I told you that uncertainty can actually lead us to our richest creative potential? In her book, “Uncertainty: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure”, author Maggie Jackson demonstrates why uncertainty is the mindset most needed in times of flux. 

Here are my key takeaways from the book so far, marked by my favorite quotes: 

“The best thinking begins and ends with the wisdom of being unsure…yet we now treat this gateway to life’s richest cognitive possibilities as a secret shame.” 

According to Jackson, uncertainty can fuel greatness. Though we fear the unknown, she argues that uncertainty plays an essential role in higher-order thinking, propelling us to new heights of creativity. When we are triggered by not knowing, it forces us out of our predictable thinking patterns and jolts us into thinking outside the box, reaching for new possibilities. Perhaps there is a better solution that we have never identified before, one that is better suited for the world we’re in now. If we let it, uncertainty can lead us to creative innovation. 

“When the stakes are high, those who do not know gain the cognitive advantage.” 

Jackson also argues that leaders who are unafraid to admit when they do not know the answer are the ones that will be the best suited to manage the world we live in now. Leaders who insist on sticking to ‘tried and true solutions’ are disadvantaged with outdated approaches to new challenges. Instead, leaders who admit ‘they don’t know’ leverage the power of curiosity to engage others with diverse thoughts and ideas, giving them the ability to make more informed, inclusive decisions. As Jackson states, “When something goes amiss…we gain an astonishing chance to break from autopilot, pivot and reassess.” 

In my own life, I’ve learned that curiosity is the best antidote to uncertainty, but the key is to ask the right questions. While many of us default to “what could go wrong?”, the better question is, “what could go right?”.

“Working memory, the capacity to hold an idea in mind and work with it, expands when we are unsure, studies suggest. The brain is directing energy to itself; this is why leading researchers consider uncertainty a good form of stress.” 

In the book, Jackson provides real-life stories that demonstrate how top performers across industries (from doctors to mathematicians and everyone else in between) have leveraged uncertainty into a superpower. But what I appreciate most about the book are the neuroscience studies that prove how uncertainty affects our brain. According to studies referenced in the book, our minds are more alert when we are uncertain, leading to richer activity in our brains. “Instability leads to stress hormones, which then releases powerful neurotransmitters to boost receptivity to new data, primes various brain regions to share information, and fires up cognitive circuits that flexibly control our focus.”  In short, life’s surprises primes us to learn something new, thus expanding richer possibilities in our brain. 

Yup, uncertainty makes us smarter. 

While there is still so much I do not know, reading this book has given me one thing I know for sure: there is magic in uncertainty. 

“Knowledge strengthened by uncertainty is the heart of superior performance under fire and the key to creating a new standard of expertise-questioning —open, adaptive—, for volatile time. Uncertainty is wisdom in motion.” 

Get Maggie Jackson’s book here.

To listen to her speak on the subject, check out this podcast episode.

What All Great Storytellers Have in Common

Levar Burton’s Storytelling Course on ‘Masterclass’

As a kid, I loved reading. I have always been exhilarated by the magic of a good story, which is why “Reading Rainbow”, hosted by Levar Burton, was one of my favorite childhood shows. So when I saw that Mr. Burton was hosting a Masterclass on the “Power of Storytelling”, I jumped at the opportunity to learn from the man who read me countless stories. 

Whether you are an artist, an entrepreneur, an activist, a corporate executive, or an organization, the ability to tell your story is an invaluable skill to hone. 

And while there are many tactics and strategies available to improve the way you communicate, this single piece of wisdom from Levar Burton is one of the most obvious, yet the most underestimated. 

According to him, all of the storytelling greats have something in common: a deep and intimate knowledge of self. As he states in his Masterclass:

“Self-knowledge is key to finding your authentic storytelling nature. As a storyteller, it is essential to know oneself in order to [show up from] that authentic place from which your story flows. The great ones all know themselves incredibly well. They put in the work necessary to discover all aspects of who they are, the light as well as the dark. We have to be willing to go on that journey.”

When I heard him say this, it hit like a ton of bricks, because it is absolutely true. 

The best creative minds I know have a strong identity, a deep inner foundation that serves as the launchpad for their creative energy and output. It is an inward journey before it is expressed externally. 

Whether you are an individual or an organization, knowing exactly who you are and what you stand for is the key that unlocks your narrative. Without this, there is no tactic or strategy that can help you connect with your audience or inspire them to act. 

When you know who you are, you can move with profound intentionality. 

When you are intentional, you not only know what to say, but WHY you want to say it. You know WHO you want to reach, and how you want them to feel, respond, or act when they encounter your story. All of this is true whether you are a writer writing a book, a professional wanting to communicate with a colleague, campaigning for a cause you believe in, or designing a marketing campaign for a product.  

Spending time to really understand your identity, your values, and your beliefs are critical for anyone with a desire to make an impact. Especially in a world where so many problems need urgent solving, we need more purpose-driven leaders who move with intentionality. But we can't get there without first doing the inner work necessary to grasp a level of self-awareness that allows us to access our truth. 

After all, as Mr. Burton articulates, “Storytellers are truth tellers. You have to be willing to stand in your truth and express it. Because if you don’t, it gives people permission to forget, ignore, to obfuscate, to change the narrative.” 

Know yourself, know your history, know your values, know your power. 

Because what the world needs the most are storytellers who can take back the narrative and change the course of history to create a world that includes us all. 

A Single Garment of Destiny: The Common Thread Between Palestine and Sustainable Fashion

Read time: 10-15 minutes

Image via Al Jazeera

Almost everyone who works in fashion remembers the watershed moment in April 24, 2013, that was Rana Plaza, when a factory in Bangladesh collapsed due to unsafe working conditions. There, in the rubble, among dead bodies, were clothing tags that belonged to the most recognizable names in fashion. Many, including myself, found images from Rana Plaza to be so haunting that it pushed me to commit to a career advocating for a more ethical, just, and sustainable fashion industry. 

Today, a different set of images haunt me. 

Like Rana Plaza, there are bodies trapped and buried in the rubble. Except instead of a single factory, it’s an entire city obliterated. The images are so gory and gut-wrenching, it’s hard to believe they are real. The unfiltered videos and images of dismembered body parts, maimed limbs, and blood soaked clothes from civilian men, women and children from Gaza that young journalists like Motaz Azaiza have shared to the world have rocked me to my core. I never thought we would witness a genocide unfold from our phone screens, in real-time, in this day and age.

What is the common thread between a collapsed factory in Bangladesh and the genocide in Gaza? 

Colonialism and capitalism.

According to the Palestine Trade Center, the Palestinian textile and garment sector was the largest sector in Gaza and the third largest in the West Bank in the year 2000. However, it sharply declined over the last 15 years because of Israeli restrictions on the movement of people and goods within the Gaza Strip, and restrictions on accessing the foreign market. By forcing Gaza manufacturers to only work within their local market, they are unable to grow new business, develop local design talent, or access modern production technology, leading to its demise. 

Furthermore, the majority of Gaza’s garment and textile factories were subcontracting for Israeli companies, where they were involved in the most labor-intensive operations with the lowest  profit margins: sewing, pre-washing, ironing, and packaging. Meanwhile, Israeli contractors normally control high-profit activities: design, marketing, and distributions. 50% of electricity in Gaza is also controlled by Israel, which means that Gaza suffers from chronic blackout outages, increasing costs for already struggling factories. [Source: Palestine Trade Center]

To top it off, equally skilled workers in Gaza are paid significantly less than their Israeli counterparts. Gaza workers report receiving $15 per day, while workers in Israel can get up to $150 per day. Unemployment rates in Gaza stand at 45% [Source: IMF, 2022], and most recently, the UN has estimated that 80% of the population are living below the poverty line. Given this situation, workers and manufacturers are forced to accept any working condition.

This is the epitome of colonialism at play. 

Though we have begun to hear the realities of colonialism as part of the sustainable fashion discourse, there is still a lot of discomfort around naming it. But as we interrogate the systemic dysfunctions in the fashion supply chain, we constantly come back to the same root: a legacy of colonialism that has perpetuated the exploitation of human labor and the acquisition of land & resources at the expense of local populations. 

Rana Plaza and the Palestinian garment industry is proof of this in action. It demonstrates the power dynamics in the fashion supply chain in which companies from the Global North take advantage of the vulnerable financial positions that manufacturers in the Global South are in, imposing unfair contracts that manufacturers are forced to accept despite very little protections. It is not uncommon for these contracts to place the burden of production costs on manufacturers, with loopholes that allow companies to cancel contracts without any financial responsibility. Today, responsible purchasing practices (how brands engage with manufacturers/suppliers) is a vital part of the industry conversation. 

Even still, as the industry works to create a sustainable and ethical transition of the fashion supply chain, the power dynamics that exist between brands in the Global North and manufacturers in the Global South are real tensions rooted in that very same colonial legacy. Of course, there are also corrupt manufacturers that abuse their power and take advantage of workers, but again, this is tied to the same legacy. After all, as my sustainability peer Dhawal Mane shared with me, a colonial mindset knows no color. There are those who adopt this hierarchical belief regardless of race, religion, gender, or otherwise, so I call us all in to be self-aware of our own unconscious biases as we do this work.

A manufacturer once told me that we can’t create real solutions if we aren’t honest about the problem. 

So I’d like to invite us all to stand in recognition of this truth: that a colonial legacy fueled by a hyper-extractive capitalist system is the root of the world’s worst problems: wars, genocides, and the erosion of our planet.

The genocides being inflicted in multiple places have something in common: Gaza has gas, Sudan has gold, Congo has cobalt*. The deliberate acquisition of these natural resources for financial gain has completely disregarded human lives, not to mention the land that the resources live on. And we see this mirrored in the fashion supply chain. 

At a recent protest in Amsterdam, youth climate activist Greta Thunberg chanted, “No climate justice on occupied land”, upon which an adult man grabbed the mic from her to retort, “I’ve come here for a climate demonstration, not a political view.” 

Yet climate is political, and environmental oppression is very real. 

When an occupying settler denies indigenous populations access to clean water, this is oppression. When Israeli settlements dump their waste water to pollute Palestinian villages and corrupt their farmlands, this is oppression. And for those of us who work in sustainable fashion, we can link this to our industry through the awareness that rivers in Dhaka, Bangladesh have turned black to make colorful fast fashion. As COP28 recognizes, the Global South have contributed the least to the climate crisis, and yet are the most climate-vulnerable, bearing the brunt of floods, droughts, and more. 

When we understand that all the dots are connected, then we understand that our collective liberation is dependent on our ability to be intentional about dismantling old systems to create a world that truly respects the sanctity of human lives and our planet. Denying this only perpetuates old cycles. 

Disrupting colonial legacy means intentionally building transformational relationships, rather than transactional ones. Instead of building only profit, we must focus on building community, and actively transform systems of oppression into systems of care.

This is why I call on my peers to demand a permanent ceasefire and support the fight for a Free Palestine.

The Palestinian cause is connected to climate justice, to human rights, to indigenous rights, and all that we are advocating for when we demand a more sustainable, ethical, and humane fashion industry. 

“In a real sense, all life is inter-related. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly...This is the inter-related structure of reality.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Fighting for a Free Palestine liberates all of us, a common thread that unravels the violent entanglement of the past, allowing us to break old patterns to stitch together a world that clothes us all in dignity and a shared humanity.

“Demanding for a free Palestine is not Anti-Semistic, but Pro-Liberation. [We] can support Palestinian freedom and Jewish safety, and the two can and MUST exist.”

 -Dianne Guerrero, actor & activist

*via @drkarimwafa

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To take action: 

• Keep “liking” & “sharing” Palestinian voices and journalists on your social media. When Western media controls the narrative, we don’t see the full story. We must keep amplifying. Voices I follow include: @motaz_azaiza | @wizard_bisan1 | @jenanmatari

• Download the app 5calls to call your representatives as much as you can to demand a ceasefire. We have to keep applying pressure. Here is a sample script for ease. 

• Educate yourself:  

• I invite you to reference this summary by Amnesty International for more about the Israeli occupation. 

• This talk by Dr. Gabor Mate, trauma expert and Holocaust survivor, is also a great place to start. 

• And since this is for the fashion crowd, perhaps hearing it from Cynthia Nixon (Miranda from “Sex & The City”) may be more relatable, so I’ll go ahead and leave this right here too. 

• Keep connecting the dots, raise your consciousness and awareness, and be intentional about the steps you’re taking to participate in building a world that aligns with your values and beliefs. When this is your North Star, you will always go in the right direction. 

If this article resonated with you, I invite you to reach out and connect. I’d love to hear from you. 

Our Urgent Duty to Palestinian Storytellers

Image via @lowkeyonline on IG

Dear Friends,

Over the last few weeks, I have been following young journalists in Gaza document what’s happening in real time to their land, their people, their homes. Though I do not know them personally, every day, I check to see if they are still alive. 

I am distraught and traumatized from watching a genocide happen from behind my phone screen, screaming inside at all the world leaders who are complicit in this crime against humanity. 

Though I am a writer and a storyteller, my own words have failed me. I have been frustrated at my inability to articulate this horrific tragedy. Like many of you, I have been at a loss for words.

But then I remember that the storytellers in Palestine are the voices that this moment needs the most. Our duty is to ensure their voices continue to be centered and amplified right now. 

Besides, actions speak louder than words can.

Which is why I call on my community to join me in the following actions:

1. Continue amplifying the stories and voices of journalists in Gaza by “liking”, “commenting”, or “reposting” their social media posts. This may seem trivial, performative, or superficial, but this is exactly what Palestinians are asking us to do right now- to make sure that this doesn’t fade from the news cycle and to maintain the urgency for a ceasefire. As trivial as it sounds, social media does make a difference, because it provides measurable metrics. The data that social media provides is information that decision-makers take into account. Journalists I follow on IG include: @byplestia | @motazazaiza | @wizard_bisan1 | @eid_yara

2. Educate yourself on the context & history of the 75-year Israeli occupation of Palestine. Start by watching this video featuring Dr. Gabor Mate, Holocaust survivor, on his reflections. 

3. Understand that calling for a ceasefire and being in solidarity with Palestine freedom does NOT equate to being Anti-Semitic. Read this piece and join me in standing in solidarity with organizations like Jewish Voices for Peace who are advocating peace for ALL and fighting against the weaponization of Jewish grief and trauma to justify a system of violence.

4. Take 2 minutes of your day to participate in the action toolkits from UNRWA and Jewish Voices for Peace.

5. Download the app, 5 Calls, to make it easier for you to call your representatives. This app instantly provides you the direct contact information for your reps, along with a script. Flooding their offices with calls is effective, and we need all hands on deck.     

6. Donate. I have personally donated to Medical Aid for Palestinians and others I know have donated to Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund. 

7. Protest. If you are healthy and able, bodies and presence at protests matter. If you are in the USA, find a protest near you here. 

Lastly, I want to speak to my fellow creatives and storytellers: I acknowledge how challenging it might be to articulate our voices because of the risk involved and the fear of saying the wrong thing. I myself have felt inadequate.

But I realize that our responsibility right now is not to center our own voices, but to play a supporting role in amplifying Palestinian stories. Yes, there is risk, but let’s also remember the possibilities. I leave you with this piece and this quote: 

“Reframing this call to speak out from a responsibility to an opportunity has been useful to me. In this historical moment, we have an opportunity to make a difference, to use the privilege we have as people with platforms to encourage our audiences to get involved in the struggle for peace and justice. No one artist needs to be (or should be, or can be) the voice speaking for everyone; but we can all be voices, contributing to something bigger than us. It’s about changing the narrative… It’s about bringing more and more people into the movement. 

Artists have always had a role to play in that work, and the call to show up and speak out for a free Palestine is more urgent than ever.” - Kyle Guarante Tran Myhre

In Love, Solidarity & Prayer,

Ruby  

Key Takeaways from "Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet"

Recently, I had the privilege of reading “Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet '', featuring the wisdom of one of my favorite teachers, Thich Nhat Hanh, known to his students as Thay. In the book, Thay shares what we can learn from Buddhist teachings as we inspire climate leadership and action. 

I truly believe that this book is a must-read for everyone, regardless of their spiritual beliefs, as tools of mindfulness are Universal. For those who prefer the cliff notes, I’ve shared some of the most valuable insights I gained from the book below. I hope it will inspire you to pick up the book for yourself- it is such a vital tool for all of us looking to make a meaningful contribution to our planet. 

Practicing Mindfulness Will Always Be Healing and Nourishing

Mindfulness is the art of being fully present in the now. By intentionally being present, we give space to praise the simple joys of life: the way a cup of tea soothes our bodies, the gratitude we have for the food we eat, the way the golden light of the sunset can bring splendor. Through mindfulness, we pay careful attention to the blessings that surround us instead of rushing past them. 

Thay says it best when he writes: “The opposite of mindfulness is forgetfulness. Forgetfulness means you are pulled away by the past, by the future, by your projects, by your anger, your fear. You’re not truly alive. But if we train ourselves a little bit- drinking our tea mindfully, breathing in mindfully, or taking a shower mindfully, the seed of mindfulness in us will become stronger. With mindfulness, you’ll see things deeply and clearly, and any decision you make will be wiser, and everything you do will have a better quality.” 

Inner Transformation = World Transformation 

“To have peace inside is a very basic need. Without it, you can’t do anything to help others.” 

Buddhism recognizes that suffering is a human condition. No matter who we are, where we are born, how rich or poor one is, all humans suffer from something. The key isn’t to deny the suffering, but to recognize that it is there and to decide to transform it. As Thay says in the book, “You listen to the suffering and get in touch with it [through meditation]…your suffering may reflect the suffering of your parents, your ancestors, and the planet…it is very important not to cover it up with music, movies or computer games. To have the courage to go home to yourself, may be the most important thing for you to do.” 

No matter your spiritual beliefs, making a decision to heal our suffering and old patterns is the first step in transforming the world. By creating peace within ourselves first, we can then be an extension of peace to others. Doing the critical work of cultivating inner transformation by mastering our minds, developing an acute sense of self-awareness, and DECIDING to alchemize our pain into peace is the most critical step in our journey towards climate leadership. After all, how can we have compassion for the planet if we don ‘t yet have compassion for ourselves? 

“Action should be based on the foundation of being. If you don’t have enough peace, understanding, and tolerance, or if you’re burdened by anger and anxiety, your actions will have little value”. 

Compassion Protects You 

One of the most important things I have learned from Buddhism is the practice of expanding my own compassion. Though I am a constant work in progress, growing my compassion is something I aspire to do, especially for those who I disagree with. It’s not easy, but this is the most important quality we must cultivate if we stand any chance at finding common ground. 

“Compassion can protect you better than guns and bombs. With compassion in your heart, you will not react in fear or anger and you will attract much less danger to yourself. If you’re angry, you make others afraid, and when they’re afraid, they attack. So, compassion protects both you and the other person. If you can produce compassion and prevent violence, that is a victory for both parties. It is a real victory.” 

The Art of Deep Listening

In the book, Thay points out that deep listening is one of the most critical skills we need to practice, especially if we are pursuing leadership positions. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Christiana Figueres, the architect of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, is a student of Thay’s, and she credits deep listening and compassion as one of the most powerful “soft skills” that allowed her to perform the negotiations necessary to complete the task. 

“We traveled almost every country in the world, mostly with questions- not to tell them what we thought they had to do- and with deep listening, to understand where they were coming from. It just opens a common ground that is not there if you’re not listening…you experience the other person in a completely different quality, because you meet vulnerability with vulnerability. And from there, you can have technical discussions about megatons, but the deep root is there.” 

-Christiana Figueres

We Need Togetherness 

“Whenever we speak about the environment, we usually speak of non-violent actions or technological solutions, and we forget that the element of collaboration is crucial. Without it, we cannot save our planet. Technical solutions have to be supported by togetherness, understanding, and compassion”. 

Working in sustainability, we are often introduced to technological innovations that we hope will lead to solutions. But in this book, Thay reminds us that we must be humans first. If we are able to generate the energy of loving kindness, we can offer that energy in any situation. But we must start cultivating that loving kindness within ourselves first, which brings us back to the beginning: to change the world, we must begin first by changing ourselves. 

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If you’re curious to learn more about Buddhism, I invite you to check out my podcast episode featuring my dear friend, Dr. Kumiko Endo on the topic of “Establishing a Winning Spirit Regardless of External Circumstances”, and my interview with stylist Michelle Pozon, which covers the intersection between style and spirituality. 

If this topic resonates with you, we’re likely from the same tribe! If you’d like to connect further on this topic, I would love to hear from you :)

How to Build Meaningful Thought Leadership & Community at Industry Events

Photo via Climate Week NYC

There’s nothing quite like the buzz and energy at an industry event. Thanks to social media, the event isn’t only available for those who are in the room live, but to people around the world who are connected to you on your social media channels. If you decide to share content from the event, it’s an opportunity to build your thought leadership and personal brand while also providing valuable insights to your online community.

Below, I share a few tips on how to best share content (whether you’re an event attendee or speaker), as well as a tidbit about meaningful networking so you can not only meet interesting people, but build relationships.  

BE OF SERVICE TO YOUR AUDIENCE

Who is your primary audience? As a general rule of thumb, understanding who your audience is and what their needs are will allow you to create content that will resonate most with them. Don’t make it all about you- make it about what your audience can gain from your learnings. Which brings me to my next point:

SHARE LEARNINGS, NOT ONLY TEACHINGS

As an expert in your field, you might feel the obligation to constantly demonstrate your expertise. But let’s be real, even the most seasoned experts don’t know it all. Attending industry events is the best place to learn from others and be a student. Experts develop their expertise because they are lifelong learners, so sharing your learnings from events (especially for those who aren’t able to attend) is content gold.

Pro-Tip: Don’t forget to quote your learnings and credit the person who shared them. Tagging the speaker you are quoting in your social media post is also a great way to build and make a connection with that person by showing your support. 

STAY LOYAL TO YOUR ETHOS AND PURPOSE

There is a lot of brilliant content to learn from at events, but make sure you choose the ones that align most with your brand’s ethos and purpose. For example, you can be a fashion professional attending a panel about Hollywood’s role in climate action, and it will be tempting to share all the big, exciting ideas. But the nuggets that will be most helpful for your target audience is what your industry can learn from another, and how it intersects with your own work.

If you specialize in product design for example, you might share the lessons you learned from filmmakers on how to build a strong narrative for your product, and how that can inform your design process. This allows you to bring your audience on the journey with you. By doing so, you can demonstrate how you’re telling the truest story you can through your own product design. 

BE AWARE OF THE COMMON PROBLEMS, AND EXTRACT THE MOST VALUABLE SOLUTIONS

Every professional has a set of challenges they are managing, and it is guaranteed that you are not alone in that challenge. If you are aware of your own common pitfalls, it will be a lot easier for you to understand which solutions are the most valuable to you and your audience. As you attend events and hear lightning bolt moments, capture the solutions that resonate most with you and share them. It’s likely that your audience would find them valuable too!

FOCUS ON TRANSFORMATIVE CONNECTIONS, NOT TRANSACTIONAL ONES

A common mistake I notice about others attending industry events is the goal to talk to as many people as possible. When it comes to networking, what I’ve learned is that it is all about QUALITY not quantity. It is far more impactful to focus on having a few meaningful conversations, rather than trying to speak to everyone in the room.

Don’t make the mistake of focusing on a person’s status, either. Every single person, regardless of what level they are in their career journey, has something incredibly valuable to offer or teach. That intern you’re talking to? They might just be the CEO of their own company one day. It’s best to seed long-term, sustainable relationships (pun intended) through kindness and meaningful exchange, not just short-term gains.

As Maya Angelou famously said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Invest in the conversations that feel like the most natural and organic connections, and don’t just seek to gain something from someone, but rather, focus on how YOU can add value to them. If a connection doesn’t work out, don’t fret. Trust that you are always aligning with the people that are meant for you and your journey, and the ones that don’t, simply weren’t the right match. 

I hope these tips help as you take on industry events! If you have more questions for me around thought leadership positioning, narrative strategy, and content strategy, just ask :)

How to Get Unstuck from a Creative Rut

Fun fact: according to neuroscience, a peaceful stroll is good for your brain- and your creativity.

Confession: I have been suffering from a creative block quite some time. Good news: EUREKA! I finally got out of it! 

If you’ve been led here, then perhaps you are stuck in a creative rut too. I know how frustrating it feels when you have a creative block that you don’t know how to remove. From the surface, everything feels fine, but deep down, you know something is amiss. You’re not in alignment with who you really are, and you can’t seem to access your greatest potential. 

After a recent breakthrough, I thought I’d share my own journey of coming home to my creative self. And hopefully, it will provide a roadmap towards yours. 

Here’s what helped me: 

Take A Walk

In the last two years, taking long walks have been a sanctum for me. It helps me clear my head and allows me to stir my creative thoughts. Turns out that science backs this. According to neuroscientist Dr. Shane O’Mara, there is a direct link between walking and creative thinking. According to him, taking walks for as little as ten minutes can actually boost creative problem solving because it engages our brain, our bodies, and brings unexpected sparks from outside environments. 

The key is to walk in pleasant spaces (through cityscapes, parks, nature, etc.), not stressful ones (like crowded, high traffic areas). Because humans are social animals, walking can be optimized when done with others. Pro-tip: if you’re solving a problem with your team, take walking meetings - it promotes dynamic creative collaboration. 

So the next time you’re stuck on an idea, get out of your desk/house, and go outside—according to science, you’ll come back with more creative solutions once you ‘get out of your head’. Guess our girl Jill was on to something ;) Want to learn more? Listen to Dr. O’Mara’s podcast interview here. 

Be Mindful of the Content You Consume

Speaking of podcasts and walks, I can’t think of a better duo! I get to move my body for exercise AND learn at the same time?! Every time I come back from a walk or run accompanied by a great podcast episode, I come back richer. 

As a creative committed to my personal growth, I put myself on a strict media diet. I am intentional about seeking out the kind of content that I can either learn from or be inspired by. 

A few of my go-to podcast favorites: 

• Oprah’s Supersoul Podcasts

• On Purpose with Jay Shetty 

• The Unpublished Podcast 

Instagram content that helps me be creatively brave: 

• @inspiredtowrite

• @mattgottesman

• @ghizlan_guenez_

My favorite podcast episode right now is Rick Rubin’s interview on the Jay Shetty Podcast, where he talks about his own creative process. Which leads me to the next point:

Make Art as an offering, not aS a performance

As creatives, we are often our own worst critics. But instead of thinking too hard about how it might be received, flipping the switch and creating with the intention of making something as an offertory or a devotional to a higher power (whether you define this as God or simply the world/society/community around you) may allow you to create and share your creativity with more peace. Listen to the Rick Rubin podcast episode above for his elaboration on this. 

For example, I recently started creating short form videos on my Instagram. Instead of worrying about how many ‘likes’ the video would get, I focus on whether it will add value to others. I create with the intention of answering some of the common questions I get, and helping others figure out their own sustainable fashion journey. Some creators put pressure on their content to ‘go viral’ or get the external validation of ‘likes or comments’, but when I create with the intention of making it as an offertory for others, I'm at peace with it regardless of the kind of engagement it gets. As a creator, it takes a whole lot of pressure off, and it’s much better for my mental health, too.

Follow the Ease

I’ve been conditioned to think that great things are almost always a result of hard work. Which is why I always had this mindset that great art has to be like scaling a mountain (ie. writing a whole book, publishing an entire screenplay, etc.). While working hard is important, I’m also challenging that notion and recognizing that not all good things require intense labor. I’m in a place where I’m intentionally welcoming in softness and ease, and that’s the same for my creative process.  

What feels natural and easy for you? What’s a small creative thing you can do that feels playful and fun? I unblocked my creative energy when I realized I don’t have to write a book, but instead, partake in bite-sized creative activities, like writing short pieces that allow me to flex my literary muscles (that I don’t even have to publish) for as little as 30 minutes a day, and creating those short form videos on Instagram that helps me experiment with another medium. 

Some say that social media is frivolous, but for those of us who are intentionally creating there, you might know how fun, easy, and natural it feels! Most importantly, experimenting with video means I’m PLAYING again, and it feels AMAZING. What feels like play for you? Go there.

Financial Literacy as a Form of Self-Care & Creative Nourishment

I have to admit, finances were not my strong suit when I was in my twenties. As a young artist, I foolishly thought that prioritizing my finances was a betrayal to my artistic path. I don’t have many regrets, but the one I do have is not building my investment portfolio earlier in my career. 

True story: once I was intentional about my financial health, it unlocked SO much inner peace. And guess what, that inner peace led to me being more creative because the energy that was once used to stress over my coins could now be redirected towards my art. I consider my accounting a self-care ritual, which I treat as a sort of financial spa (I seriously get all dressed up, spray my favorite perfume, put on lipstick, and sometimes pour myself a glass of wine or a warm cup of tea when I do my accounting because it makes me feel so luxe).

Rebranding my accounting activity in this way helps me to create a new association with it, which makes it feel like a luxury experience, instead of a daunting chore. Shout out to financial hype woman & comedian Bernadette Anat @heyberna for teaching me this trick! Berna’s got a new book btw, and its designed specifically for children of immigrants- and to make you laugh ;)

I can’t call myself an expert and I still have a lot to learn, but I can now say that I am good with money and that feels so empowering- for both me and my art. 

I hope this helps you gets unstuck from your creative rut, and if you have something that works for you, I’d love to hear it. Wherever you’re at, don’t give up on your gifts. Because what I know for certain is this: creativity is my lifeline, and inspiration is not want, but a need for me to live and breathe fully. If that’s the same for you, keep taking the next step (or 10,000 of them, according to neuroscientists) ;) 

Want to Work in Sustainable Fashion? First, Understand the Hidden Dynamics in the Fashion Supply Chain

June 2023: Participating in the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark. Though action is still slow, I’m encouraged by the normalized conversations around supply chain transformation and solutions.

Read time: 10-15 minutes

When people hear work in sustainable fashion, they often assume that my work is all about turning recycled plastic bottles into clothes. While this is a commendable effort, sustainable fashion is far more complex than that. The work of sustainable fashion is bigger than making eco-conscious products: it’s in fact, about transforming the ENTIRE system of how our clothes are mass produced, and disrupting the current system  of ‘take, make and waste’. It’s not the most glamorous side of fashion, but definitely the most important. 

The biggest opportunities for sustainable fashion exist in the supply chain. 

Inside the fashion supply chain, we see how incredibly resource extracting fashion is: 

• from the natural resources/raw materials (ie. cotton, etc. ) that is used, 

• to the amount of water, chemicals, and dyes it takes to turn a raw material into a textile, 

• the amount of human labor (mostly women!) that is exploited in the factories with low wages and unsafe working conditions to turn textiles into wearable clothes,

• The carbon footprint it takes to ship the clothes into retail destinations,

• And finally, what happens to the garment once we consumers are done with it (hint: it normally goes to landfills, and we have an enormous textile waste problem). 

That said, the good news is, the industry has recognized that transforming the supply chain is a priority. 

June 2023: Emceeing the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Planet Textiles Event, where addressing dynamics in the supply chain was a topic of conversation.

As I participated in the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Planet Textiles event in Milan and the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen this past June, much of the discourse revolved around possible solutions to help facilitate a just and equitable transition of the supply chain so everyone is on track to their sustainability goals. The key message I was getting in both events is that collaboration is necessary, but it must be globally inclusive so everyone can be set up for success.

But what exactly does a ‘just and equitable’ transition mean? Before exploring a few critical topics in the industry, it’s important to have proper context and to understand that the unequal power dynamics between brands and manufacturers is one of the major roadblocks that could make or break fashion’s sustainability goals. 

The relationship between brands (who come from the Global North) and manufacturers (many who come from the Global South aka. formerly colonized countries) often have a relationship inherited from a colonial legacy, leading to the imbalance in power and wealth.

The transactional nature of this relationship must be transformed into healthier, safer, partnerships in order for everyone to win. Furthermore, the sustainable fashion conversation has largely been brand led, so manufacturer voices, alongside the voices of farmers, garment workers, and those on the ground need a platform too (something to pay attention to!).

The goal of this piece is not to paint one or the other as the ‘good guy’ or ‘bad guy’, (because I’ve met some truly sincere folks working on the brand level who are serious about making positive change) but rather to represent a critical point of view that has been missing from the sustainability conversation.

With that, let’s break this down a little more and unpack how this manifests in today’s most critical industry topics: 

Decarbonization 

These days, everyone is talking about decarbonizing the supply chain- meaning that in order for greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint to be significantly lessened, factories must undergo critical changes. But for clothes to be made more responsibly, manufacturers need to be set up for success.

This means that factories need billions of dollars in investments in order to shift from coal to alternative sources (coal is the biggest source of global warming), shifting to renewable energy (ie. solar panels), and installing water filtration systems, and more. But who will fund this?

Manufacturers alone can’t be left with this enormous burden, so healthy collaboration, capacity-building partnerships, and investment is needed from major companies/brands in order to make it a win-win situation for all. 

Responsible Purchasing Practices and Long Term Relationships 

Responsible Purchasing Practices (RPP) are policies that consider the needs of both the brand and the supplier/manufacturer to have a fair, win-win partnership. Examples include: 

• Ethical payment and fair terms

• Clearly defined order quantities 

• Providing the manufacturer fair lead time and technical details to create the product

• Taking on the shared duty of environmental & social responsibility 

According to Patagonia, “Ethical purchasing is at the heart of social responsibility and any worker well-being or environmental impact programs brands may have.” 

However, as it stands now, RPPs are not always, well…responsible. They can be exploitative and rather promiscuous in nature. Essentially, when some brands (who have the money to spend) find they can’t cut a corner with a manufacturer, they threaten to move on to another one quickly, which makes the original manufacturer lose business despite working hard to please them. This is a prime example of the power dynamics that exist. 

But by transitioning from a transactional relationship into one that is transformational, healthy, equal, and long-term, brands can provide manufacturers with the safety needed to be able to invest in the supply chain together, and work together to create a safer, more ethical workplace for garment workers. 

POLICY 

A big topic in all the fashion conferences this year is upcoming regulation. There are new policies coming from Europe and the USA that will regulate the fashion sector and demand that companies show proof that they are operating responsibly and are able to back up their sustainability claims with credible data. 

This is good news, BUT a lot of the burden will fall on the manufacturers. In order to make clothes more responsibly, factories need to be transformed for decarbonization, and data will need to be provided in order to meet regulatory needs. 

The problem is, a lot of the policies are being decided in the Global North, which doesn’t always consider the realities of the Global South (ie. lack of infrastructure, funding, and government support). Not to mention, all of the policy language is written in other languages (ie. English) and to be honest, the language is hard to understand even as a native speaker!

Regulation is a step in the right direction, but again, without equal and healthy partnerships between brands and suppliers, neither will be set up for success to deliver. 

STORYTELLING TO SHIFT CONSUMPTION CULTURE

The current fashion story is one based on consumption, and not having enough. The fashion narrative of retail therapy says, you will only be enough if you buy x, y, z. But this mentality is fueling overconsumption, and thus, creating more waste. 

As Denica Riadini-Flesch (founder of SukkhaCitta) stated in a recent webinar, fashion’s storytellers must reinforce a new story: one that centers our enough-ness. Instead of taking and making waste, we must take on a new paradigm: one that inspires us to align our values with every aspect of our lives, including what we choose to invest in. By knowing who we are and what we stand for, we can align our life choices with those values. 

So instead of merely buying clothes, we are investing in them. We buy only what we love and need, and because of that, we are proud to rewear, reuse, and repair them because we truly value them. Clothes are no longer disposable, but valued parts of ourselves. 

As I like to say, the easiest thing for everyday people to participate in this movement is to go against the grain of social media pressures for ‘next and new’ and REWEAR REWEAR REWEAR your clothes until we make it a normal fashion statement. 

Want to work in Sustainable Fashion? Here are some resources to help you on your next steps: 

If you’ve made it to the end of this VERY serious and long article, yay! You must be invested in your sustainable fashion career. =)

In sum, it’s important to understand the supply chain as you enter this sector, and the sooner you start, the better you’ll be set up for opportunities to lend your skill sets as solutions to existing problems. It might not be the ‘glossy, glamorous’ work that you see on the fashion runways, but if you choose to dive in, it can provide one of the most impactful opportunities to contribute the planet and the people in it.

So what’s next?

• If you’re a fashion communicator, check out the new Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook developed by the United Nations Environmental Program to re-up your knowledge. 

• Check out Kim Van Der Weerd’s Manufactured podcast to get a better understanding of the supply chain dynamics between brands and manufacturers, and get inspired about how and where you can participate in the supply chain transition. 

• Sure, fashion brands are also great places to work, but there are industry associations focused on policy, financing, industry collaboration, and more that could use your expertise. Get started by checking out the work of the Apparel Alliance. 

• Looking for work? Some of my favorite sustainable job sites include Reconsidered, Sustainable Fashion Forum, and Green Jobs Board. 

Transforming the fashion supply chain will take ALL actors- businesses, governments, scientists, fashion designers, consumers, and everywhere in between. But the good news is, the science and the solutions exist to scale up. Fired up and ready to go?

Let’s get to work,

Ruby

The Tangible & Transformative Power of Imagination

A view from Pont Neuf from my favorite city in the whole world.

Dear friends,

I’m writing to you from Paris, the place I called home for almost 8 years. It’s hard to believe I lived here longer than any city other than the one I grew up in (Sacramento, where I lived from 10-18 years old).  It is not lost on me that Paris wasn’t supposed to be my life – nowhere in my personal history of growing up in a modest immigrant family would hint that a life in Paris would be in my future, but nevertheless, here I am. 

I am here because I dared. 

I dared to imagine a life outside the confines of my perceived limitations, and dared to design an unconventional, tri-continental life that aligns with the woman I am becoming. I dared to pursue the highest version of who I could be, and imagined myself achieving big (and very specific) goals that terrified me as much as it inspired me. 

Admiring the sky as the sun bows out for its grand finale in Jardin Tuilleries.

Paris will always be special because it is the place that was supposed to be the most impossible, and yet, it was also the place that showed me the vast expanse of my own power to create and manifest my wildest dreams. Sidenote: Paris isn’t all glamour, and while this place is gorgeous, it broke me down in countless ways with all the GRIT I had to endure, but that’s for another story. ;) 

Instead, I am inspired to talk about the tangible power of imagination, and how wielding it can transform both our personal worlds, as well as the world around us. Because what I’ve noticed is that sometimes, we don’t even allow ourselves the space to dream or imagine because we don’t believe we are deserving or worthy. We think we can’t do something because of our circumstances or our backgrounds, or, our own self-doubt and limiting beliefs. 

But what I learned about my Paris journey is this: instead of asking, “why me?” ‘Ask, ‘why NOT me’? Don’t count yourself out of opportunities because they seem ‘out of reach’. The only way to ensure that you count yourself out is by not trying at all. So I implore you to dare to be the barrier breaker. You never know how life will meet you halfway and lead you to something greater than your wildest imaginations. Because guess what? We don’t always need to know the HOW, all we need to know is the WHAT, and most importantly the WHY. 

This thought process is also relevant when we’re attempting to lead with impact and contribute to the greater world around us. In fact, radical imagination is known to be the engine for social movements. “Radical imagination feeds the creation of a just and equitable society. Social change movements use a radical imagination to envision a future free of oppression…” [Source: Everyday Activist Network] 

Me streaming in from my old campus at the American University of Paris and into the classroom at Avenues The World School in NYC: bridging education from one international school to another.

This is why, when delivering the keynote address at Avenues The World School earlier this week as they kicked off their climate leadership program, I stressed the idea of approaching climate leadership with joy and imagination to combat the pervasive eco-anxiety that Gen-Z youth are struggling with. Eco-Anxiety is defined as: “chronic fear and extreme worry about current and future harm to the environment caused by human activity and climate change”.

While preparing for this keynote presentation, I learned a sobering fact: according to a 2022 poll conducted by the Blue Shield of California, “75% of Gen Z youth in the USA report having experienced a mental health problem like anxiety, depression, or excessive stress as a result of reading, seeing, or hearing news about climate change.” 

I don’t deny that climate change is indeed a very real cause for fear and grave concern (especially today in New York City, where worsening air quality from Canadian wildfires is causing terrifying disruption). But I also worry that we are not equipping ourselves or our youth with the right mindset to go into this work with the inspired action that it deserves. 

So instead, whether we are thinking about transforming our personal lives, or preparing to go out into the world to create impact, I invite us all to adopt the creative spirit of artists and actively choose to see the ‘ugly’ and decide to alchemize it into beauty. 

To be clear, there is a difference between healthy optimism and toxic positivity. Toxic positivity pretends that the bad stuff doesn’t exist, and covers it with fake happiness. But healthy optimism acknowledges that the bad is there, but instead of merely accepting it, it decides that no matter what, it will do its very best to transform the bad into better. 

Because in a world that profits from our pain, choosing joy is an act of resistance. Joy fuels creative imagination. Imagination fuels innovation.

And by each of us choosing to be intentional about cultivating and spreading our joy and our ability to imagine something better, we can create healthy inner worlds that will allow us to be better leaders in the outer world.

As I sign off, I want to share this quote by writer Rebecca Solni who shares: 

“What if climate change meant not doom, but abundance? To respond to the climate crisis — a disaster on a more immense scale than anything our species has faced — we can and must summon what people facing disasters have: a sense of meaning, of deep connection and generosity, of being truly alive in the face of uncertainty. Of joy. This is the kind of abundance we need to meet the climate crisis, to make many, or even most, lives better. It is the opposite of moral injury; it is moral beauty. A thing we needn’t acquire, because we already have it in us."

With love from Paris,

Ruby 

When Your Tests Become Your Testimony: Speaking at UC Merced

Last month, I had the honor of delivering the keynote address at the Pilipinx Graduation Ceremony at University of California, Merced. It was such a privilege to share my experiences of navigating life post-grad as a first generation Filipino-American and fellow UC grad (UC Davis). I often get approached by young people asking for career advice, and I am consistently truthful and transparent about my journey because I believe they deserve an honest and clear roadmap for the future from someone that not only looks like them, but who also shares their lived cultural experience. It’s a resource that I didn't have during the early parts of my journey, and had I did, I think it would have saved me from a lot of mental distress.

That being said, as we welcome Asian Pacific American Heritage Month & Mental Health Awareness Month, I thought I’d share a few snippets from my speech. If you or someone else you know could use a little picker-upper, I invite you to read on :) 

On developing the right Mindset:

As a first generation Filipino-American, it’s important for me to share that I put myself through college working three jobs. As the eldest in a modest, immigrant family, my parents were unfortunately unable to support the financial burden of an American university at the time. While it was really difficult, supporting myself through college meant I had the freedom to choose my area of study. And trust me, you tend to value your education a lot more when you’re the one investing in it. From a young age, I learned that I could do hard things, giving me the courage, discipline, and resilience to know that nothing was impossible. That mindset was probably more valuable than anything I learned in the classroom. 

So the first lesson I want to impart is about having the right mindset. The way you see the world is exactly how you experience it. The way you see yourself is exactly how the world sees you. At any moment, you can choose to be the victim or the victor in your life. If you choose to view every challenge as an opportunity to grow, you will continue to win. I have to admit, there were moments when I felt sorry for myself when I couldn’t enjoy spring break trips like my classmates and instead, had to work. But instead, I viewed it as an opportunity to cultivate my independence,a strong work ethic, and the confidence to overcome virtually anything. This laid the foundation for achieving the “impossible”, again and again. If you choose to see the opportunity in every challenge, you’ll always end up winning.

On living your truth: 

I’ve learned that there is nothing more unsafe than forcing yourself into a life that doesn't align with your truth. I hope you all have the courage to live your most authentic self, regardless of what that means for you. In our culture and our society, we tend to fear going against the grain, but I hope you are brave enough to live your life on your own terms. For me, that meant pursuing a creative career despite the fact that it was not as accepted or understood the way it would have been if I chose a more traditional path. But I’ll say it again: there is nothing more unsafe than forcing yourself into a life that doesn’t reflect the truth of who you really are, and what your true gifts can do.

On Imposter Syndrome: 

After graduate school, I  was offered my first job in France – a role as the Communications Project Manager on the Social Responsibility Team at the Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton Group (known as LVMH), the conglomerate that owns brands such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Givenchy, and Fendi. 

There was a time in my life where I didn’t even feel comfortable walking in those stores. I never thought in a million years that this Filipina girl from the suburbs of Sacramento would one day have a seat at those tables, working alongside the most prestigious brands in the world. I have to admit that there were moments during my time there where I felt imposter syndrome, especially when I was often the only woman of color in the room. In those moments, what gave me courage is something that Oprah once said when she was quoting Maya Angelou: “I come as one, but as I stand as 10,000”. At any moment when you feel the pangs of imposter syndrome, remember that our ancestors did not fight this hard or sacrifice this much for our lives just for us to play small. So even if you are 5 foot 2…know you have everything you need within you to stand tall. 

On Rejection and Failure: 

When you set off to pursue your dream, failure and rejection are inevitable, but the good news is, adversity is a gift. 

To me, I see failure and rejection as badges of honor. It’s proof that you went out there and tried, and I believe that’s worth celebrating. Every time someone has done something new or attempted something that’s never been done before, there will always be failed attempts. But that’s how innovation happens. There is no such thing as failure, only lessons. 

I also think it’s high time that we normalize rejection, because it’s just part of the process, especially when you’re in the creative field like me. Over time, I’ve learned to view rejection as protection, a way for life to redirect me to the things that are truly aligned for my highest good. Because when I look back, I can truly say that I am grateful for all the things that I didn’t get. Failure and rejection taught me humility, grace, and compassion for myself and for others. Because true champions aren’t only made in the victories, but rather, in how they handle the losses.” 

Did any of these resonate with you? If so, do let me know. I love hearing from you! In the meantime, I’m rooting for all of you. In the spirit of the NBA playoffs, I’m wishing you all some wins (and a championship mindset along with it).

Go get ‘em,

Ruby

If you’d like to collaborate for your campus event, check out my work with Universities here.

For more on establishing a ‘winning mindset’ regardless of external circumstances, I also invite you to listen in to this podcast episode where I interview one of my dear friends, Dr. Kumiko Endo, on how she incorporates her Buddhist faith into her daily life to help her feel strong and positive. (You don’t have to be Buddhist to enjoy this! So much of her advice is universally relevant and actionable.)

Key Takeaways from my Recent Talk about Sustainable Fashion at TMCC

With Dianne Dodd Cheseldine, founder of the speaker series in her name at the Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC)

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of being invited to speak at Truckee Meadows Community College, thanks to the invitation of fellow The American University of Paris alum Dianne Dodd Cheseldine, a longtime professor there. I met Dianne in Paris at our alumni event last year, and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to bring our global conversation locally to her campus.

In my presentation, I connected the dots between the women's empowerment and sustainable fashion movements, and I gave an overview of the complex nature of the global fashion supply chain.

A few key takeaways : 

1.) SUSTAINABLE FASHION IS A BIPOC, FEMINIST ISSUE. Before our clothes reach us, they go through hundreds of human hands. 80% of the people making our clothes are women from the Global South, who fight for fair pay and freedom from sexual harassment and violence at work. 

2.) Sustainability starts at the design process. A reformation of the fashion education process is sorely needed as fashion students need to be educated about the environmental and social impact of their design decisions so we can transform the future of our industry. 

3.) Sustainability isn't just about buying sustainable brands! It is about sustainable habits and advocating for companies to practice responsible business decisions. 

4.) We must be responsible consumers AND active, conscious global citizens. To move fashion forward, we need to participate in the legislation process and advocate for policies that help regulate the industry. 

5.) SUSTAINABILITY IS AN ACT OF LOVE. We must remember that we are part of a global community, and view sustainability as a practice of collective care.

Special thanks to the work of Remake-- I showed their "Made in Cambodia" video in this presentation, which solidified my commitment to this advocacy when I first saw it as a grad student back in 2014.

Watch the replay below:

5 Things You Should Know About Sustainability in the Fashion Industry in 2023

Welcoming 2023 with a new Miss Universe: Filipina American R’bonney Gabriel, who champions sustainable fashion

It has been a long while since my last blog, but now that a new year is upon us, I thought to pop in and say hello. We’ve welcomed 2023 with a new Miss Universe who happens to be a fellow Filipina-American with an advocacy for sustainable fashion, so I figured it was high time to get you excited about the movement again!

In the last two years, I’ve been deeply immersed in the field of sustainability via my most recent role on the communications team at the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC). The SAC is an international industry association of brands, retailers, and manufacturers, all working together towards a common approach of measuring sustainability performance and using that data to implement solutions so that the industry can move in harmony towards creating change. 

In the last two years, I learned that:

1.) If a brand is serious about sustainability, they will have science-based data as proof to demonstrate their commitment. So look for data that backs claims.

That being said, a standardized way of measuring sustainability (like a nutrition label) is imperative so that everyone can be in agreement on how to define what is sustainable and what isn’t. The good news?

Upcoming global policy will require brands to back their claims with credible data, so that greenwashing can be a thing of the past. Until then, to make it easier for you to view if your favorite brand is doing well, the Good On You app is here to help.

2.) Sustainability requires radical collaboration. For the whole industry to create change, brands, manufacturers, and retailers must set competition aside to partner together to co-create and co-implement solutions. However, manufacturers are underrepresented in the sustainability conversation. With brands typically coming from Western countries and the majority of manufacturers coming from the Global South, there is deep-seated inequality (aka, remnants of a colonial past) that hinders progress.

Because brands are the customers, they often call the shots, but manufacturers need support in their transition for greener, safer factories- which require brands to invest and partner equally with them to move the needle. As a storyteller/communicator, I believe in amplifying manufacturer voices in the sustainability conversation to help facilitate more equal partnerships, so if you want to work in this field, I encourage you to pay attention to this space.

3.) I learned that brands really do care what we say on social media- every post matters, and the data gathered from consumer opinion truly does have the power to shift decisions. So if you think a social media post doesn’t change much, I’m here to tell you that it does. When you participate in social media campaigns, or share your own opinion about why ethical and green practices matter to you, it really does make a difference in the decision-making process.

Campaigns you should be paying attention to? The ongoing #PayUp campaign by Remake and #FashionRevolution month, which will take place in April. So go ahead, do it for the ‘gram.

4.) The sustainability sector (across all industries) is poised to be worth 44.4 Billion dollars by 2028, so if you want to work in sustainability, there is tremendous growth and opportunity! Yet, despite the growth in sustainability priorities and opportunities, women are still severely underrepresented in the decision-making process, despite the fact that according to the UN, “women and girls experience the greatest impacts of climate change”. This is why I’m a champion for more women to enter the sustainability sector, and to aspire to become leaders in the field. If you want to get started, my favorite job boards include Reconsidered, Sustainable Fashion Forum Jobs, and The Channels Network.

Rita Moreno rewearing her red carpet look from 1962!!!

5.) As consumers, remember that consuming sustainably is less about buying sustainable brands, but more about implementing smarter habits. Many people always ask me how to start participating if they have a lower budget. Good news! You can start with zero dollars :) Here’s an oldie but goodie piece I wrote a few years ago about how to start a sustainable wardrobe on any budget.

And, if there’s one call-to-action I’d ask you to do this year, it’s to normalize rewearing your clothes. Social media pressures us to have something new to show off consistently, encouraging more consumption. Disrupt fast fashion (and the algorithm) and rewear, rewear, rewear!

I’m so grateful to have had the space to learn so much over the last few years, and I am excited to share my knowledge with you.

As Women’s History Month approaches in March, and Fashion Revolution month approaches in April, I would love to collaborate with you to amplify these movements. 

One of my wins from 2022: producing and emceeing the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Annual Meeting in Singapore, attended by 500+ global sustainability leaders

To book me as a speaker, event emcee, moderator, or workshop leader/educator (in-person or virtually!), please contact PapaLoDown Agency. 

You can learn more about how I work with media platforms, universities, and brands/organizations via the corresponding tabs here on my website.

Now here’s to crowning sustainability as the winner across the Universe.

Cheers,

Ruby

Authentic vs. Performative: How Can Fashion Engage in Brand Activism with Integrity?

I participated in a research interview conducted by Gavrielle Weiss, post-graduate student at Instituto Marangoni, London School, about the future of brand activism, and how brands can engage with integrity. I warmly invite you to read our conversation below:

GW: What comes to mind when I say brand activism?

RV: Brand Activism to me refers to campaigns tied to branding, advertisements, and messaging that a brand wants to create, ultimately, to generate customer loyalty, define reputation/identity, and awareness by connecting its brand identity with a social movement. But like most branding, I do think it exists for the purpose of generating business.

GW: How do you think addressing activism in the fashion industry specifically differs from other industries?

RV: Well, I think that a lot of people naturally gravitate towards fashion, because it’s a pop culture platform. Fashion is integrated with music, movies, so forth. So when it comes to combining social change education with fashion, I refer to it as “wrapping the vegetables inside the candy”.  

It’s very difficult to normalize social change with people who never had an interest in it, if it's not packaged in a way that they can feel interested in from the get-go. So I think that there is an incredible opportunity to use fashion to launch activism.

But we can't do it from a superficial level. 

Talking about it is only the first step. And when people are hooked, how can we work behind the scenes to do the deep work of dismantling a lot of the systemic structures that have been in place for many years?

GW: How do you think that sociopolitical brand activism has impacted inclusivity and representation in the fashion industry recently?

RV: I think that it's sparked a lot of conversation and it has, forced brands to make this issue a priority.  It’s allowed them to see the business incentive by seeing that their market is asking for transparency and accountability. That’s one advantage of social media.

Social media obviously has its pros and cons, but its elevation of consumer activism and public voice has been instrumental in pushing the tipping point for brands and companies to make different decisions. And again, it's a great start, but it's not the end all, be all.

In regards to campaigns, I think it's wonderful that we're seeing more diverse representation in advertisements. But we can’t just stop there, because that is only addressing a consumer-facing initiative. if your supply chain still embodies post-colonial systems that oppresses black and brown bodies, or, if your organizational culture is toxic, then a pretty campaign, however well-designed, is only superficial. consumers today are smart. they will sense this, and it can severely backfire later. 

GW: How is the rise of cancel culture and social media watchdogs like Diet Prada, for example, affecting the way that brands approach activism?

 RV: I think that cancel culture has its merits, but it can also potentially create more toxicity. And I think that there's a way to use it in moderation. The positive effect of platforms like Diet Prada is that it does put pressure on brands and companies, and keeps them accountable. But at times, cancel culture doesn't further the discussion that needs to be made. And it also sometimes can create more division. We're already living in a drastically polarized society.

Sometimes what’s more effective and more impactful than ‘calling people out’ is ‘calling people IN’.

That means having a private conversation with them and addressing their wrongs privately, and giving them space to grow and change.

Again, there’s a right time and place to use both.

GW: When mainstream issues are shifting so rapidly, from feminism to racism to politics, how can brands show and ensure that their activism is coming off as authentic versus performative?

RV: I think that companies need to name concrete commitments. I don't think that it's fair to expect anybody to be fully sustainable. Vanessa Friedman wrote an article in The New York Times about how sustainable fashion is actually a myth. And I have to agree with her, and here’s why:

The fashion industry supply chain has been morphed into a 100-headed monster that has spun out of control, and it's going to take time for us to actually untangle that and create new processes to replace it.

So I think that we need to give space for improvement. And to understand that it takes time to grow into these commitments. But what I think would be more effective is for brands to not just say, “We're sustainable brand”, but instead list the concrete changes they would like to start with, and in what projected timeline.

Whether that's creating better packaging, or doing more training with leaders on racial biases, there needs to be concrete actions and steps, and being transparent about them. It’s impossible to solve everything at once. But start with 3-5 commitments, and name the long-term visions. You may not be able to achieve them all tomorrow, but committing to solving it is already a better way to communicate honestly and genuinely.

GW: When brands have a history of controversy or problematic practices in the eyes of consumers, how can they begin engaging in impactful activism without appearing to be self-serving?

RV: You can't solve a problem if you don't name the problem. I think brands just need to be honest about where they are as a brand, and being transparent about what they want to do. And again, I would recommend they keep transparent communications open about the progress they are making. Transparency reports are important.

 I also think they can’t just react to a crisis, and do something on a one-time basis like a donation- this is a prime example of performative activism. But when you are actively putting in place long-term solutions (ie. seeding organizational change), you are judged on what you’re doing when nobody’s watching.  

GW: What do you see as the future of brand activism and fashion?

RV: Gucci set a new precedent by saying that they are no longer doing seasonal shows. This shows us the changes that they're making in their business model, and is an example of the next step towards brand activism.

A lot of times KPIs are assigned to measure sales metrics. But I think that we need to have more emphasis on KPIs on sustainability and how to measure that progress. Consumers want brands to show where the money is going, and what they are investing in. Are those investments going towards change-making? What do your transparency reports look like?

 A lot of companies say that they have a social responsibility team, but that team (and their budget) is often very small. So we need to see how well you’re investing in the solutions you say you want to be a part of- those are the receipts that prove you are committed. receiving actual proof of your business decisions, and then seeing them manifest into new, sustainable business models, is the next level of brand activism.

Can I help you tell meaningful stories of impact? Check out my work with brands and organizations here, and contact me to continue the conversation. For my education work with schools and universities, see here.

Sustainability Is Most Effective When it is Human-Centered & Intersectional

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of joining a team of global changemakers* in launching the first virtual conference for San Francisco Sustainable Fashion Week International (SFSFWI). Due to the pandemic, the annual live event needed to pivot to a virtual conference, which we collectively produced. I also had the opportunity to moderate two panels entitled: Human-Centered Sustainability Strategies and Paris, the Sustainable Fashion Capital?, featuring some of the fiercest fashion activists from around the world.

Despite the challenge of adapting a live event into a virtual format, there was a distinct advantage: the local to global conversations that were made possible. Below, I share some of the key takeaways each conversation offered, with this one being my favorite: Sustainability Won’t Be Effective Unless it is Human-Centered & Intersectional.

Read on to learn HOW to achieve sustainability initiatives that are inclusive and put people first, and how Paris is achieving its goal of becoming the sustainable fashion capital of the world by 2024:

HUMAN-CENTERED SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES

Speakers: (scroll right at the image carousel below)

Faduma Aden, Founder & Advisor, Contelier (Sweden/Somalia) @fadumaaden

Sam Hartsock, Director of Education, Remake & Co-Founder of qb consulting (SF) @samleehartsock

Valentina Suarez, Co-Founder, Universo Mola (Latin America) @universomola

Saloni Shrestha, Founder & Design Head, AAGATI @aagati.california

When Sustainability is People-Focused, Businesses & Governments LISTEN to the People FIRST

If you want to create inclusive sustainability strategies, you must design your initiative based on what the communities need, rather than assume you have the right solution. Without listening to the community, you cannot actually solve their problems. When you take time to gather information to listen to their needs, then you can co-create and partner with communities to create win-win initiatives that in turn, have a long-term impact on both people and the planet.

This is relevant when it comes to a subject like cultural appropriation, which is a big topic in the fashion industry. Valentina Suarez of Universo Mola pointed out that this is often the case with indigenous communities. Many big fashion brands take ideas from indigenous artisans without giving them proper credit or compensation. As a result, products get backlash from their audiences. Instead, listen to communities and co-create with them as partners. Then ensure that the way these initiatives are communicated are coming from the lens of community partnership, not top-down leadership.

To see an example of a brand executing best practices with artisans, see the work of Saloni Shrestha at AAGATI.

There Must be Diverse Representation of Leadership in the Decision Making Process

If everyone on the decision making table looks like you, that’s the first sign that you’ve got some improvements to make. Without consulting with diverse thought leaders, you are not actually serving all of your audience.

This is made even more evident with reactions to COVID. Panelist Faduma Aden of Contelier remarked that in Sweden, the response to the pandemic was mainly communicated in Swedish, which left out a huge part of the multi-ethnic community. This not only leaves these communities vulnerable, but in turn, also endangers the rest of the population. If you are not able to offer solutions or communicate in a way that speaks to the diversity and multi-cultural makeup of your audience, then you have some improvements to make in inclusivity – which in turn, can also improve your ability to serve a wider market.

Partnership & Community Always Wins.

According to Sam Hartsock of Remake and Saloni Shrestha of AAGATI, many big brands cancelled their orders in the middle of the pandemic, leaving thousands of makers completely out of work and pay during the most critical time. While it is understood that businesses have had to make tough decisions during this period, many big brands have already placed these orders and factories have already begun production while covering initial costs.

Despite many of these orders already in production, big brands have either delayed payment or cancelled their orders altogether. We want to invite big businesses to view their supply chain workers as long-term partners, not as disposable workers, which means caring for them through the good and the bad.

Moreover, the millennial generation is vocal about these types of issues, and demand transparency and social responsibility from businesses they support, so taking care of your supply chain isn’t just the right thing to do, but it is also a necessary business decision.

The brands that will succeed in this post-Covid era (with an increasingly conscious consumer generation) are those who are pro-active about implementing social responsibility and sustainability strategies that feel real and authentic.

Here is the video of the complete panel talk at the San Francisco Sustainable Fashion Week - Experts United 2020 digital conference.

PARIS, THE SUSTAINABLE FASHION CAPITAL?

Speakers: Catherine Dauriac, President of Fashion Revolution France @fash_rev_france @cityzencat

Lemaris Loren, Founder & Designer of LemLoren & Fashion Professor at IFA @lemloren

For this Goal to be Achievable, it Needs Multi-Layered Partnerships In and Out of the Industry, AND A Business incentive

Paris is aiming to become the Sustainable Fashion Capital of the World by 2024, the same year as the Olympic Games. According to Catherine Dauriac, President of Fashion Revolution France, this goal has become a priority for the City of Paris not only because Paris is historically the Fashion Capital of the World, but because of a demand from citizens and a law that passed that enforces anti-waste, circular economy practices. Thanks to this law, companies are banned from discarding or destroying any unsold goods. The law gives businesses a direct motivation to participate in the movement in order to remain compliant, giving them an obligation to participate. In order for sustainability to work, it must give incentives and set up win-win situations. And it must also involve partners in and out of the industry to make it a success.

Sustainability Begins at the Design Process 

Many future fashion designers & professionals study in France, so it is imperative that they are educated early on about how to participate in sustainability. Luckily, the next generation is already invested in these concerns, and are committed to learning how they can shift the industry. Lemaris Loren, fashion designer and professor at IFA Paris, sustainability begins from the beginning of the design process, when designers choose what materials they will use to create their collections. Selecting the material will then inform the rest of the process, from where it’s made and how it’s made, to what the material can accomplish.

 Both Catherine and Lemaris do work in consulting the next generation of fashion designers trained in Paris to become forces of change in the industry.

****

Thank you all who joined us for the conference! To learn more about the movement, please have a look at the website and at @sfsfwi.

*Once again, a great pleasure to join this phenomenal team of global women changemakers!

@sandrahanns: CEO and Founder of SFSFWI & Experts United

@rubyveridiano: Writer, ​Fashion Journalist, & TV Presenter from California & based in Paris, France

Mariel Jumpa: ​CEO and Founder of @SlowFashionWorld from Uppsala, Sweden

Valentina Suárez:​ Co-Founder and Director of @universomola from Montevideo, Uruguay &
Bogota, Colombia.
@LizethSotoRivas:​ Founder of @Bohetnika / Art Director @SlowFashionWorld Mexico-Germany

Athina Salazar: ​Chief Possibility Officer at @life_2_design from Sacramento, CA

Why Sustainable Fashion Is Important For Asian-American Women

Growing up as Asian-American woman in the United States, I would read books and watch movies not seeing a single face that looked like me. It was the same in the fashion magazines that I loved. Though these magazines were targeted to young women, none of them felt like they were talking to me. I suppose that’s what inspired me to grow up wanting to be a storyteller, so I could help uplift the voices of girls who grew up like me.

Today, I work as a writer and fashion journalist in Paris, France. My job helps me to understand that the way we dress is also a way for us to tell our stories. After all, our clothes have the power to communicate who we are before we even say a word.

When I began to learn more about the inner workings of the fashion industry, I realized that most of the people who make our clothes are women. 75 million people in the world are garment workers, and 80% of them are women between the ages of 18-34, women whose voices are disempowered every day on the factory floor. What’s more, many of these women are based in Asia, in places like Cambodia, Bangladesh, China, and the Philippines, where I was born.

It’s crazy to think that though I didn’t see many Asian faces in fashion magazines growing up, Asian women have actually been some of the largest forces powering the industry as the makers of our clothes.

This is the reason why I resonated with Remake’s mission to turn fashion into a force for good by telling the stories of women in the supply chain. Through films like “Made in Cambodia” and “Made in Pakistan”, Remake shares the challenges that women garment makers go through everyday. While we women in the West fight for equal pay, freedom from sexual harassment, and women’s empowerment, our sisters are fighting the same fight on the factor floor. This is why sustainable fashion in indeed, a feminist issue.

As a Remake Ambassador, I serve as the Humans of Fashion Correspondent for Paris Fashion Week, where I interview designers, models, celebrities, and everyday shoppers on what they think or know about sustainable fashion. It’s a way for us to keep our ears to the ground about the priorities of the industry, on and off the runway. I also represent Remake as a speaker and workshop facilitator, where I educate fashion students and professionals on how to connect the dots between women’s empowerment and sustainable fashion.

My hope is that more people will begin thinking about the human hands that make our clothes, and to remember that they are women just like us, dreaming big dreams and aspiring for a better future.

So today, I hope you’ll join the sustainable fashion movement by buying less and buying better. Instead of buying clothes that you’ll easily forget about, choose those that you can commit to wearing at least 30 times. Choose pieces that tell a meaningful story. My dress, made by Anthill, is special to me because it was made by Filipina artisans who are preserving traditional weaving traditions through modern fashion. It represents my style, my heritage and my values.

I encourage you to love your clothes like good friends, and to wear your values on your sleeve. Changing your relationship with clothes is a way to empower women around the world. Will you join me?

To learn more about the intersections between women’s empowerment, the intersection of feminism and sustainable fashion, I invite you to view the links below:

What Does Gender Equality Have to do with the Fashion Industry? Everything.

Sustainable Fashion’s Race Problem

The Time Has Come to Wear Our Why

Want to learn how to buy better? See the Remake Shop for approved brands!

This post originally appeared on Remake.

What Quincy Jones Teaches Us About Being Legends, Not Just 'Influencers'

As a working creative, I often feel the pressure to have the social media metrics to be deemed an 'influencer' in order for certain doors to open, but I constantly have to ask myself what these numbers actually mean. Sometimes, it is tempting to focus on what my social media numbers look like, and while this may seem silly or trivial to others, those in the creative field can attest that these numbers can determine which doors you can walk in through. In this digital age, those numbers can sometimes overshadow talent.

But this weekend, I watched Quincy Jones documentary on Netflix, and it grounded me. Watching his story reminds me that our craft and contribution to the world is what really matters: the real life, transformational human connections that we make offline is what makes the difference.

Quincy Jones reminded me that our real job as artists, writers, and creatives is to touch and contribute to the world in a meaningful, tangible way. Building and continuing the LEGACY of those who came before us is the kind of influence we need to put our energy towards. Instead of worrying about our popularity, we need to concentrate on earning the right and honor to help fill their shoes. We must redirect our efforts into creating art that actually touches others enough to heal them. Instead of asking, “how can I shine?” we should ask, “how can I shine my light to brighten others?” Naturally, the latter will make you more luminous, because you are activating the glow of those around you.

I want to be clear, I have respect for the influencers who have succeeded in building their platforms! They too are #GOALS , but also want to encourage us all to invest more energy towards being present and impactful in real life- something we too often forget in this day and age. At the end of the day, we all have the power to influence and make a difference in someone.

So with that, let’s get to work.

In Love and Legacy,

Ruby

I'm Heading to NYFW to Facilitate Sustainable Fashion Workshops with Remake!

With thanks to the Asian Women Giving Circle (AWGC), I'm launching a new project during New York Fashion Week with Remake. I'll be heading to NYC to facilitate several workshop events connecting the dots between women's empowerment and sustainable fashion, with an Asian-American women's history twist (yes, they are all connected!). 

I would love for you to join me! The FREE events are happening on September 5, 7, and 8, and you can choose between one of two venues. Sign up via the links below! 

September 5: Wear Your Values at the Brooklyn Accelerator (Workshop Only)

September 7 or 8: Wear Your Values at Athleta Flagship in Manhattan  (Day-Long Event feat. Workshop, Panels, and Pop-Up) 

Hope to see you there! 

Women Are Why We Need A Fashion Revolution

Image via Fashion Revolution, © Claudio Montesano Castillas

On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed. The Rana Plaza building was home to five garment factories that produced clothes for major fashion brands. According to Fashion Revolution, 1,138 people died and another 2,500 were injured, making it the fourth largest industrial disaster in history. 

The victims were mostly young women. 

80 percent of the people making our clothes are women ages 18-24, the same demographic of young women who buy and consume fast fashion. We need a Fashion Revolution because we need to connect the dots and recognize that advocating for a fairer fashion industry, is in actuality, a feminist issue. 

As Remake founder Ayesha Barenblat once said to me in an interview, "[In Western countries], millennial designers are graduating from fashion schools, and simultaneously, on the other side of the world, millennial women are entering the garment industry. I saw a connection in the fact that globally, millennial women are starting their fashion careers from opposite sides of the supply chain."

Fashion Revolution Day is on April 23, 2018. Join the movement next Monday, April 23, by following these three steps: 

Fashion Revolution Day is a good time to re-think your shopping habits. See my previous blog post here for conscious consumer tips. 

For those in the industry looking to promote a supply chain that empowers women, see my interview with the Head of Gender Justice and Human Rights at the C&A Foundation on the United Nations site here, and see my speech at Madrid Fashion Week about how the fashion industry can participate in Gender Equality here. 

Learn more about the Fashion Revolution movement here.  

What Does Gender Equality Have To Do With the Fashion Industry? Everything.

At the end of January, I had the honor of representing Remake as an ambassador at the “Smart Fashion = Slow Fashion” Event during Madrid Fashion Week. Set inside one of Madrid’s most popular concept stores, El Paracaidista, the event gathered fashion changemakers together to discuss how the fashion industry can contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The event was organized by Mariel Jumpa of Slow Fashion World, El Paracaidista owner and The Circular Project Founder, Paloma Garcia, Moda Sostenible de Madrid MSMAD (Sustainable Fashion of Madrid), and Asociación de Creadores de Moda de España ACME (Association of Fashion Designers of Spain).

Throughout the day, changemakers spoke about diverse topics such as alternative materials (banana fibers, etc.) zero waste, and circular fashion models. I spoke about connecting the dots between women’s empowerment and conscious fashion, referencing item #5 on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Gender Equality.

According to the United Nations, item #5 on the SDG’s is committed to eliminating discrimination against women and girls. This goal is a call to end all forms of violence, ensure that women have equal opportunities and participation in the political, economical, and public life, and overall, to adopt policies and practices that promote gender equality in all levels of society.

What does this have to do with the fashion industry? As it turns out, everything. 

Find out more via my blog post on REMAKE here.