Dads are almost impossible to shop for but don't worry, there's bound to be something here in our list of gifts for dad that he'll love.
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Saturday, December 7, 2019
Friday, December 6, 2019
Five Young Women from HBCUs are Top Contestants in Footaction’s No 1 Way Design Program
Black people and black culture shape popular culture and fashion. Yet and still, leadership within the fashion industry does not often reflect the people from the communities in which they draw their inspiration from.
Some may argue that the lack of representation at the top is due to a skills or knowledge gap–while others may claim that there are many barriers to entry. In this case, both sentiments are true. That is why Footaction created the No 1 Way Design Academy in partnership with two Portland, Oregon based black-owned design academies PENSOLE and FAAS Studio to build a pipeline to get designers from historically black colleges and universities into the industry.
Footaction is committed to amplifying and celebrating the next wave of creative visionaries who continue to push the culture forward. As a part of that commitment, the design academy offers No 1 Way competition which aims to foster diversity of talent and champion the idea of creative individuality.
In August, Footaction made an open call to over 85 HBCUs to participate in a six-week digital and in-person design intensive. Hundreds of students applied to be a part of the program by sending in their designs, but, only 10 students were selected to participate in the FAAS at PENSOLE online program to refine their designs. From there, the competition was cut in half and the top five finalist (which so happen to be five young women) relocated to Portland for a 3-week hands-on design academy at the FAAS Studio.
The total program value is $15k per student. That includes the 3 week online workshop & mentorship, the 3 week in studio FAAS masterclass, travel, and room and board.
The challenge was to design functional apparel for the chance to win cash prizes, the opportunity to have their designs showcased at New York Fashion Week in February 2020, and the opportunity to their designs sold at Footaction stores nationwide and online.
For Footaction, the No 1 Way Design Program is a way to position students who might not typically have access into the fashion and design for success.Richard McLeod, Vice President of Marketing at Footaction has worked closely on the program from its inception down to the selection process of the students and says that there is no one way into the industry or to success.
In his first year with Footaction, McLeod has been able to shift the culture with the No 1 Way Design Academy.
“In partnership with PENSOLE we wanted to ensure that we are building upon the brand’s purpose–which is really about how we amplify and celebrate the new creative visionaries that are moving the culture forward,” says McLeod.
Related: Pyer Moss And Other Luxury Black-Owned Labels Disrupting the World of Fashion
To get a behind the scenes look at the competition; we joined Footaction, the founders of PENSOLE, FAAS Studio, and the finalists in Portland to learn more about their design journeys before the winners are announced.
For the first part of this series, we would like to introduce you to this year’s No 1 Way Design Program students. In parts two and three, you’ll meet the founders and leaders of PENSOLE Design Academy and FAAS, D’Wayne Edwards and Angela Medlin.
Meet the Students
This year, the competition dwindled down to five incredible young women representing Clark Atlanta University, Dillard University, and Tuskegee University.
Brianna Thomas, Dillard University
Briana Thomas (Image: Footaction)
What led you on a path to design?
My passion led me in this direction. Right now I’m in school getting my bachelor’s in marketing. I always knew that I wanted to be a fashion designer. But as I got older, I didn’t know how I would arrive to that point. So I just tried to keep my options open and it took all opportunities that came my way when it came to me enjoying myself doing fashion or doing design or creating and sewing.
What is it like being among your peers of fellow HBCU students/grads who are working towards that goal of being the best in the industry?
This is something that I’m glad to be a part of, and especially with other young women and young designers that are from other HBCUs and have a similar goal. I’m just really glad to share this experience with them. Because I’m even learning from them. Just being around them listening to how they talk about different things to the how they look at different perspectives. We’ve all had a different experience in our design journey, but now coming here and also learning at face under the tutelage of Ms. Angela it’s really just bringing it all together and making it like wow 100% like I’m so glad I got this opportunity.
What would winning mean to you?
Winning this would be amazing! I realized the opportunity to even be showing a piece at New York Fashion Week is a huge opportunity. Some people in the industry work their entire career and they don’t get here. But me as a 21 year old, not designed student, just someone with a passion and someone willing to learn is going to be there in February so it’s just beyond a blessing.
Chakierrah Stinson, Tuskegee University
Chakierrah Stinson (Image: Footaction)
You are a self-taught designer with over 45,000 followers on Instagram who stan for your designs! What inspired you to create and where do you draw your inspiration from?
A lot of my influence comes from stuff that I see online, movies, and the world around me. I take what I’ve seen and try to make it sportier and street-wear inspired. I always try to give people something that they haven’t seen. I don’t want my designs to look like anyone else’s. I want you to see you know that Chakierrah made it because I have my own style.
What are some of the things that you’ve learned that you didn’t know before that you’re going to take away from the program as you continue to design?
When you’re designing for a consumer, your designs have to be tailored to them. I didn’t think of the consumer at all at first since I am the only person who wears everything I make. Now, since I want to start my own brand it definitely have like tremendously and just like my way of thinking, what would
Why was is important for you to participate in the No 1 Way Design Program?
I went to the FAAS Studio Instagram page and saw the designs Ms. Angela and her students were making. And I was like, Oh my goodness, like, this is like the stuff that I want to be making. I wanted to take her class ever since I learned about her work. The opportunity to create at FAAS and the amount of things that I’ve learned, has changed my way of thinking when it comes to design.
Lenora Gray, Clark Atlanta University
Lenora Gray (Image: Footaction)
Why design and this design academy?!
I believe I was born with the gift with the talent to be a creative. So I’ve always known that creating was something that I wanted to do. And I think my life has really been a journey and a testament to where I am and who I am now. Coming to Portland and being exposed to different cultures and a different way of living is a form of design. It’s pushed me it’s opened my eyes and broaden my perspective on life; the way that I design; who I design for; and where I want to go in life.
What are you learning about the fundamentals that you may not have been equipped with before this opportunity?
For me, it has been about learning how to design with a purpose. Also, understanding color, marketing, and finance as a designer. What I’ve learned in the three weeks that we did online and in the two weeks that we’ve been here, I’ve not learned in school. And, this is no dig to my institution, but, we just didn’t get it. You can truly see that there’s a difference in working in the industry and teaching how to work in the industry.
Nache Davis, Clark Atlanta University
Nache Davis Image: Footaction)
Tell us more about your passion for fashion!
I went to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York. I’ve always been into the arts, but I’ve always had a love for fashion. Ironically, my mother worked at the Fashion Institute of Technology–so I got to take their Saturday live classes while I was in high school. And that really gave me the basic skills I needed to know how to sew how to fashion illustrate.
You’ve traveled the world pursuing design and when this opportunity came about with Footaction and PENSOLE, you were willing to leave your full-time job to take a leap of faith. How were you able to decide on which direction to go in?
Angela has been an amazing mentor. When this opportunity came about, there was a lot of fear that came along with it. I didn’t know how I was going to be able to keep my job and also pursue this opportunity. I consulted with Angela because I felt like this opportunity can really catapult my career. She advised me to talk my manager. I had a conversation with my director, and she is truly supportive. We figured out a plan for me to b in Portland and still be able to work but also be fully immersed in this opportunity.
Sharonda Richardson, Clark Atlanta University
Sharonda Richardshon (Image: Footaction)
You’ve traveled across the world from Scotland while studying abroad for this opportunity. What has you’re experience been like thus far?
I’m a bridal information designer and I want to be able to implement the functional attributes that we have learned here. Attributes like how to make your attire functional and versatile in bridal products are in formal wear products so that they’re not just pretty; but they also have a reason to be. I’ve also learned a lot about myself. I’m very sensitive about my design process. I’m not opposed to critiques but it’s often hard for me to receive them. So, I’ve learned a lot about how the industry works and how you’re going to have to get over yourself.
What would winning this competition mean for you?
There’s really no way to explain the opportunities that come out of something like that. And I just want to be, I just want to prove like my family, right? I started out going to school for biology, something more practical. In taking a leap of faith by going into design I just want to show them that I made the right choice.
Related: 6 Black Fashion Labels to Know, Celebrate, and Support
You can always find top talent at HBCUs
There’s no fashion show like the ones that happen every day on the quads of historically black colleges and universities. They styles are unique to the culture of the campus, and they typically will inspire you to step up your game and try something new.
Interesting enough, only 8 out of the 101 HBCUs have fashion design schools. Yet there are many students who have a passion for fashion. To that point, Footaction understands that there is no one way into the industry. Hence, the significance of the academy.
“There’s a ton of talent out there. We want to bring some of those talents to the forefront. They’re the consumer and they continue to push the culture forward. HBCUs are a sharp point in terms of a consumer base or a student base. I think it makes complete sense in terms of what it is we’re trying to do from a shared purpose and vision standpoint; whether it be from Footaction or PENSOLE,” McLeod adds.
He went on to say, “What they’re (PENSOLE x FAAS) is trying to instill in the students is what the real world looks like when it comes to design. And with that comes a number of things that they may not necessarily have ever learned within the current structure of their school. So it’s about preparing them for corporate opportunities; opportunities for them to go on as an entrepreneur; and give them the life skills, as well as the design skills to help them succeed later on in their careers whether they choose to do this or not.”
Stay tuned to learn more about the founder of PENSOLE as FAAS Studio.
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This Chief Brand Officer Says Stop Feeling Guilty About Being an Ambitious Woman
As BLACK ENTERPRISE gears up for the 15th anniversary of our Women of Power Summit, we’re talking to the real women getting it done every day about the ways they claim, wield, and restore their power for our new series: Portraits of Power.
Portrait of Power: Joy Altimare
Title: Chief Engagement and Brand Officer
Employer: EHE Health, a 105-year-old preventative healthcare company
Backstory: Tennessee native with Jamaican roots; only child from large extended family; started in advertising; became a mom at 38, entered the C-suite at 41; Rosa Parks is her shero but Oprah is her BFF (in her head)
Her big bulging success: Altimare interviewed for a role at a startup when she was 8 months pregnant—and got the job!
What’s the best part of your current role? The ability to work in an agile environment across the entire organization. Being the Chief Engagement and Brand Officer means that I have responsibilities that include, but are not limited to, marketing. I am truly interested in how our customers and patients interact with our brand, products and services. I am not just interested in conversions, I’m interested in the conversations we’re having with each stakeholder. I’m looking beyond the transaction toward the engagement. I love that ability to go macro and micro in this role.
Has your career been shaped more by strategy or spontaneity? A bit of both—I have always wanted to be a marketer. Not sure if I planned on being a CMO, but I wanted to be a change agent who could also be compassionate and empathetic [and] open to a path that was a bit winding.
What’s the most significant decision you’ve made, and how intentional was it? I was very intentional about not having kids until I’d reached a certain flexibility within my career.
Best career decision you ever made? To remove guilt for being an ambitious woman in both my professional and personal life.
What’s been your hardest decision? Sometimes you have to remove yourself from toxic situations and people—that’s been hard. Sometimes you have to disassociate yourself with dream-stealers or angry people. It will begin to feed into your spirit and, when you want to soar, you cannot be heavy with other people’s doubts, distrust and negativity.
What is your process for making big decisions and how has it evolved? I’m in this game not just to be productive today but to have longevity and positive generational impact. So, when I’m faced with a big decision, I ask what does it mean for me, my family, but also my future grandchildren and their children. It’s so important to view life through that lens so that you can thrive, not just survive.
What’s the greatest obstacle you’ve faced, and how did you overcome it? Growing up in the South, I was often told that it was more important to be a lady who was liked, not heard, and who supported the lead of the man in her life. While I value partnership and marriage, as a 5’10”, self-aware and confident black woman, I do have a mind and a voice, both of which I like to use often. So, I have to constantly remind myself that it’s OK that people may not like me, what I say or how I say it. They may not like how I dress or look and they may even have a problem with me “being in the room,” but my ambition is to be respected and valued as a competent contributor to the team. Being liked is not my end game.
What advice would you give your 25-year-old self? Be present, lean into your life, and speak up for yourself.
Best advice you ever got? From my dad: “You better like yourself, not just love yourself, because you take yourself wherever you go.”
Proudest accomplishment? My favorite person, my 5-year-old daughter, Ella Helene. She’s named after my first favorite person, my grandmother—Ella Geneva.
Biggest disappointment? I don’t live in disappointments—in every defect, there’s a gem. It’s an opportunity to learn a lesson, or make a new friend or to take a step toward the right direction.
What you’re learning now? Everything. Literally. I’m learning the fundamentals of coding, which is like unlocking a whole new world. I am also learning a little Mandarin as I listen to my daughter’s tutoring lessons.
Do you believe in luck? Nope, I believe that I’m blessed to be prepared for when the opportunity presents itself so I can seize it.
Are you Type A? B? C? Definitely type A. Definitely.
How do you wind down? A glass of wine and some really good jazz or classic R&B.
What’s your biggest wellness challenge? I’ve managed to figure out the daily fitness (running home from dropping my daughter off to school) but I really love acupuncture and massages and I don’t do them as religiously as I used to before Ella was born. Well being is not just about fitness and nutrition—the cognitive piece is essential to creating positive lifestyle and behavior choices, so I need to double-down on finding time to include that part in my life.
Favorite self-care fix? Weekly facials.
Best stress management hack? Weekly Neti pot sessions—it really is a de-stressor, especially if you travel often or live in a congested city like NYC.
Who/what keeps you whole? I’m a Believer, so, 100% my relationship with Christ is what keeps me stable, sane and secure.
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Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King give advice on how to handle the holidays
The holidays are upon us, which means many of us get to spend significant time with our families. If this thought brings angst, Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King are here to help.
The women got together for another episode of OprahMag.com’s series, OG Chronicles, and helped us sort through how to handle unwanted gifts from people we love, the best way to thwart awkward political discourse at the dinner table, how couples can settle where they’re spending the holidays, and when parents should let the babies know the truth about Santa.
In the video, these OG’s read viewer letters and then dish their sage advice. Often, they agree. But sometimes they don’t.
For example, when one wife wrote in about her husband’s “terrible” gift-giving choices and requested advice on the best way to let him know she doesn’t like or need his gifts, it was clear Gayle felt bad for the hubby.
“That’s hard because the husband is probably very proud of what he’s done… I don’t know, I don’t want to break his heart either,” Gayle says. “I think you just accept it with grace.”
Oprah said nope.
“No, I don’t think you have to do that. You say, ‘Honey, I think we’ve reached a point where we have everything we need and we really don’t have to exchange gifts anymore,” Oprah said in the video.
Gayle started laughing that knowing her girl laugh, as Oprah continues: “That’s what we did in our house… I had the same issue.
“I was going to say, are you talking from personal experience?” Gayle says, still laughing.
READ MORE: Gayle King recalls the best surprise her BFF, Oprah Winfrey, ever gave her
And Oprah told the newly married letter writer who wanted to know how to settle where she and her spouse go for the holidays, that they should spend Thanksgiving with one of their families and then do Christmas with the other side, and then switch it up the following year.
Sounds equitable and wise to me.
The post Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King give advice on how to handle the holidays appeared first on theGrio.
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