What. A. Week.
Wow.
This past week I made the decision to halt my social media presence to amplify the voices of the Black community. As I move back into posting my designs, I wanted to share some thoughts I have in this moment.
It’s been a heavy week. A week of learning and unlearning. A week of listening. A week of conversations on racism with friends. A week of righteous anger. Amidst the heaviness, the protests I participated in gave me hope. I’ve never seen such a diverse group of people coming together in unity. People of every ethnicity, age, gender, and religion. Literally, I saw “Witches for Black Lives Matter” and “Christians for Black Lives Matter” signs at the same protest. When have those two groups ever stood together? In a time where our nation is in such a deep divide, it gave me comfort to see radical unity in the fight for social justice.
Social Justice: (n) justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.
I want to make it very clear that social justice is the purpose of Dear Survivor. This purpose manifests itself in our fight against human trafficking - a problem that disproportionately affects Black and other women of color. It manifests itself in the way we manufacture - be that our partnership with Refugee Artisan Initiative or our ethical factory in Los Angeles. I believe that being a “sustainable” brand is so much more than the materials we use - but encompasses the full picture of how we build a better tomorrow for both humanity and our planet.
As a fashion brand - I am committing to showcasing diversity. I’ve loved working with a diverse group models over the years, but believe I can do better in showcasing not only ethnic diversity, but also age and size diversity.
As a designer - I am committing to not appropriating styles or motifs from indigenous communities. Sadly, fashion brands have been monetizing off the work of indigenous peoples for decades. If you ever see me design something that you think feels like cultural appropriation, please let me know. It will likely have been done in sheer ignorance.
As a business owner - I commit to building my business better than the ones that have come before me. We will always give back, we will always create with the planet in mind, and we will always seek diversity in staff as we grow.
The consumer dollar is a powerful force in fighting for social justice. Thank you for trusting me as I guide this ship.
Love,
Christine