How Some Fashion Businesses are Responding to Racial Injustice
(source: @omgadrian)
The killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police on May 25th, 2020 ignited some of the most vocal protests that America has seen. Edward Joiner is owned by a black man, and he wanted to make sure that our company wrote something pertaining to racial injustice. This article will cover what Edward Joiner and other fashion businesses' responses have been to the unjust killing of George Floyd.
We live in a time where it is not enough for businesses to stay neutral on topics such as racial injustice. Customers now expect and demand that the businesses they support show some level of awareness towards social issues. The way Edward Joiner has shown that level of social awareness is by making three separate posts addressing racism and injustice. Each post illuminates how we felt as a company and how our hearts cry out to the families that have been affected. Edward Joiner also encouraged its employees to take a stand and use their voices in this fight for justice.
Many other brands in our industry have also used their platforms to voice their disapproval of unjust acts. Some of the most notable companies to do so include Nike, Aime Leon Dore, Garden & Seeds, JJJJound, Reebok, Oree NYC, and Kith. Nike, the masters of storytelling, posted a video titled “For once, Don’t Do It” which implores people to stop engaging in injustice. These other brands have taken several different approaches to address this issue. Some have posted their condolences, others posted resources and ways to help out. All of these businesses understand that there is nothing more important to people than justice, and they empathize with the Black community. We are proud to be in a space with other creatives, business owners, and designers that care just as much, if not more, about human rights as they do about their businesses.
Below, we have left links to donation pages as well as other resources to help fight against racial injustice in America.
Resources:
https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/george-floyd-bigfloyd
https://www.gofundme.com/f/i-run-with-maud
https://blacklivesmatter.com/petitions/
“Be the change you want to see”