I am from Jersey City, NJ also known as America’s Golden Door. Jersey City is the most diverse city in America. It has been said it takes a village to raise a child. I was raised by a global village. Located right across the Hudson River from New York City, my upbringing in Jersey City shaped my inclusive & empathetic perspective on what it means to be human.
Benetton has always been a source of inspiration since I was a teen. The colorful graphics and their inclusive, multicultural fashion campaigns have always been a source of inspiration for me.
Traditional collegiate graphics are emblematic of classic American style. Vintage college sweats and varsity jackets are a staple from the streets of Soho to the runways of Paris.
2020 impacted all of us in many ways. This compelled me to express my pathos about social justice and racial inequality. So I designed the University of Diversity graphic as an homage to my upbringing in Jersey City. I invested my stimulus check into getting some t-shirts printed.
This drop is printed on Champion Double Dry Eco® Hooded Sweatshirt
The Statue of Liberty was given to America by France in 1886 as a gift to recognize the the abolition of slavery. Later, the statue became a beacon of hope and opportunity for millions of immigrants as they arrived in New York Harbor. The back view of the statue symbolizes the perspective I gained through my experiences growing up in Jersey City.
I collaborated with Deadstock Coffee here in Portland, Oregon. We used color and a reinterpretation of the crest using the front doorway of the shop to make this collaboration unique to Deadstock. Deadstock serves up some of the best coffee in Portland but more importantly there is a sense of community amongst the people that frequent the shop as we share commonalities and embrace our differences.
I have chosen to donate a portion of sales to Essential Partners. This organization embodies an approach I believe better addresses growing disparities brought about by systemic inequality.
Essential Partners’ methodology empowers people to have healthier, more complex, more inclusive conversations about polarizing differences-whether that polarizing issue is the role of race in a public school curriculum, COVID vaccination policies, or refugee resettlement plans.
I share their vision of a society comprised of prosperous communities strengthened by difference, connected by trust. Essential Partners helps civic groups, faith communities, colleges, schools, and organizations across the globe build resilience, belonging, and trust across deep divides of values, beliefs, and identities.