The Dressember team, Team Freedom Fashion, illustrates this point even further. I had the pleasure of hearing from one of the team members, Sonia Maslovskaya, about the milestones and goals they have been able to reach together - including raising over $40,000 last Dressember.
Read MoreEnter Julia Mooney. Wearing a dress for 31 days is nothing to this New Jersey middle school teacher who created a personal project to wear the same dress for 100 days.
Read MoreSela Designs is a nonprofit jewelry company which donates 100% of its profits back to charity, each piece of jewelry created from ethically sourced materials and made entirely by hand in the United States.
Read MoreIt’s the end of January, which means that both the Dressember style challenge and the U.S. National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month is almost over. You and your team have managed to raise $3,500, which is half the cost of a mission to rescue a victim of human trafficking from their situation, and your $3,500 has contributed to Dressember’s overall goal of raising over $2,300,000! It has been another successful year of raising money to combat human trafficking.
Yay! Woohoo! Yeah!
The crowds go wild!
But just where do those funds go?
Read MoreAt Dressember, we say that wearing a dress and tie throughout the month of December are the training wheels for year-round advocacy. With that being said, “taking off the training wheels” and finding ways to fight injustices can be difficult, but with just the right amount of guidance, advocacy never has to stop!
Read MoreBut how can you make sure that the clothes you purchase aren’t contributing to the proliferation of slavery or the destruction of the planet? B Lab has done the research for you and has certified over 2,600 B corporations worldwide.
Read MoreAndrew’s courageous approach and heart for others are encouraging to anyone seeking to make a difference. His interview is a powerful example of how people simply caring in their everyday lives can make a difference. Dressing up, beginning conversations, and having a heart for the dignity of others are all a Dressember advocate needs. We are all, with Andrew, “everyday advocates.”
Read MoreTeamwork makes the dream work. We couldn’t do the work we do without a team of passionate people who volunteer their time and talent to Dressember. Meet some of the members of Dressember’s intern team this season!
Read MoreDressember is slowly approaching and that can mean that the dress hunting has officially begun. While the dress shopping process can be an exciting time, it is important to make the right decision when purchasing clothing. Throughout the month of December (and life in general), we should be representing ethical brands that provide their workers with ethical working conditions. The fashion industry has a highly complex supply chain and because of that, it is easier for manufacturers and suppliers to get away with unethical practices. In this post, I will discuss a few tips and tricks on how to shop ethical and honest brands.
Read MoreHas anyone ever told you that you’re too young to change the world? Let me introduce you to Corah Stephens, the 9-year-old world-changer who is shattering that lie. This is her first year of Dressember advocacy, but she is already making a huge impact through raising $800 in the first 10 days of December, and boldly talking about human trafficking in her daily encounters.
Read MoreSince 2016, an estimated 40.3 million people are involved in modern day slavery, including the 24.9 million in forced labor and 15.4 million in a forced marriage. These forced relationships can result in rape and domestic violence but since they are in a contractual marriage, assault is oftentimes overlooked.
Read MoreThe holiday season is one that emphasizes the importance of family and reconnecting with those that matter most to us. However, for many survivors of exploitation, this is a painful time in which they may have been separated from their families because of the trauma they experienced.
Read MoreEven a little bit of research on the ins and outs of the complex fashion industry leaves my head spinning. It takes some diligence to find out if the apparel we have in our closets was made ethically, which is why we’ve put together a list of five tips to help you determine the ethics of an item as you shop.
Read MoreThen her wish sparked an idea, and Lesley embarked on “Skirtvember”–wearing a skirt every day in November to give her practice for Dressember. Before November even started, Lesley matched her skirts with an outfit for each day so the decision was already made each morning.
Read MoreAs advocates, we care deeply about the men and women who are trapped, abused and exploited within the sex trafficking industry. This passion is such a wonderful thing, but it can also be blinding. Often, when we try to help people in extreme circumstances such as this, we forget to take any other situational factors into consideration. One of the most important factors we should take into consideration when attempting to help sex trafficking victims is cultural context.
Read MoreKolkata is described as a lively city, at the center of Indian culture with much to offer its citizens. Its central location, bordering other countries, and vast transit system keeps the busy metropolis moving. There is another world keeping pace with a demand, not for ease of access, or the enjoyment of India’s beautiful and rich culture, but for sex.
Read MoreSo, you’re halfway through the month of December and you’re feeling a little bit discouraged because people aren’t noticing the fact that you’re wearing a dress or a tie. I’ve been there and I feel your pain, friend. Going into my fourth year of being a Dressember advocate, this is one of the biggest obstacles and insecurities to overcome. So, let’s chat about it!
Read MoreDon’t let the smile on this face fool you. The girl in this dress has sore feet, a tired mind, bags under her eyes, and grief in her heart.
Read MoreBut the sad reality is that 60% of those children – 60,000 children – who were recovered in FBI raids can be traced back to foster care and group homes. They were the hurt, the lonely, and the seemingly forgotten children and youth of society. According to Olive Crest Executive Director, Jaime Zavala, “children and young adults who have been a part of the foster care system are some of the kids at greatest risk of being engaged in human trafficking.”
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