I have always loved fashion. But once I was in college I learned about the labor issues and the waste from the industry and the impact on the environment. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I felt that I couldn't love this creative and beautiful industry if it was harmful and valued profit over the people and the planet. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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But then I learned about Fair Trade and social enterprises were beginning to reach the mass market, and I saw that if one slowed down the process you could add back in the humanity to such a beautiful industry. Fair Trade values people over profit. Artisans are taught skills to build upon and provide for themselves. They are able to work in safe working conditions, they have access to education and earn a living wage. I believe that access to these things are basic human rights. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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During this whirlwind time with Covid 19 I think we are forced to slow down and get back to basics of what matters most. We are realizing the importance of access to health care for all individuals, the importance of small business and the impact that we as individuals have on our community. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Health is the most important thing we have. Without it our lives become so different from what we are used to. We are learning to see things with a new perspective. As Richard E. Besser said "As a global community we are only as strong as our weakest link". ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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As a society we have grown distant and disconnected to each other and have isolated ourselves through social media and technology. Now we are faced with an opportunity to reexamine the ways in which we have been living. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I think that in this time as we slow down we will be getting back to basics and will be getting back in touch with what unites all of us, locally and globally. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We will show that we value people over profit. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We are all One and we are all stronger together.