Fashion

Fashion Activism

A movement doesn’t start with noise. It starts with intention.

Let’s cook up the ingredients for a fashion activism movement.

  1. Clear Why
    Before the fabric, before the fit—know the purpose. What injustice are we confronting? What truth are we amplifying? If the “why” isn’t rooted in lived experience or deep listening, the clothes will speak, but they won’t say anything real.
  2. Story Over Trend
    Trends fade. Stories stay. Fashion activism is about garments carrying memory, struggle, joy, resistance. Every stitch should answer the question: who is this for and what are we protecting or pushing forward?
  3. Accessibility
    Movements don’t live on pedestals. They live in neighborhoods, classrooms, kitchens, sidewalks. If people can’t see themselves wearing it, touching it, or participating in it—then it’s not a movement, it’s a moment.
  4. Co-Creators
    You don’t build a movement alone. Invite youth, elders, artists, skeptics, organizers. Let people shape the message. Fashion becomes activism when the community helps design the uniform.
  5. Consistency
    One hoodie doesn’t change the world. Repetition does. Show up again. And again. Workshops. Conversations. Pop-ups. Education. Fashion activism is practice, not performance.
  6. Courage in Discomfort
    If nobody’s uneasy, you’re probably not pushing hard enough. Clothing should sometimes interrupt the room. Make people pause. Make them ask questions they’ve been avoiding.
  7. Joy as Resistance
    Activism doesn’t have to be heavy to be powerful. Joy, beauty, pride—these are radical tools. Celebration keeps people engaged longer than anger alone ever will.
  8. Paths Forward
    A movement must offer direction. Awareness is step one—but what’s step two? Where does the energy go after the outfit is seen? Give people somewhere to walk next.

EXTRA SHOT
This contribution was written by Andrè Wright. Andrè is a world traveler who uses design, fashion, and art to inspire students and community-driven movements.

Fashion activism isn’t about what we wear.
It’s about what we refuse to ignore.

When clothing becomes language—and community becomes the author—that’s when a movement is born.

By Ben McDougal, ago

Everyday Activism

Power from the past keeps us moving, but effectiveness dwindles when fewer voices are heard. Fewer voices help those in power grow quickly, but history reminds us how a lack of diversity is not only dangerous, it’s boring. This invites the leader inside us all, to design action for change by empowering diverse populations.

EXTRA SHOT
This contribution was written by Andrè Wright. Andrè is a world traveler who uses design, fashion, and art to inspire students and community-driven movements.

To thread a topic for discussion, let’s stick a few bars on the global language of fashion. Our voices can be heard, but sometimes the volume makes a message miss. The art we share online is material, but can be lost in the sea of content. Efforts add up, but community requires sacrifice. Activate as much energy as possible, but clothing can also speak. What we wear tells a story. This story has many characters, each playing a role in how we feel, think, and act. What we wear hides or magnifies your mode for that moment. Fashion makes each outfit a creative act. We dress to impress, to feel the chill, to stand out, to fit in, to perform, to relax, or just to call it good enough. No matter the story of what we wear, our creative expressions can be enhanced with education and experiences that foster engagement, adaptability, and collaborative partnerships. For any genre, when stories stack alongside real progress, community-driven activism can grow a movement.

The right audience in the moment (timely) and over time (timeless) sets a direction for a movement. This form of group action may involve individuals, organizations, or both. Together, a vision is understood thanks to a compelling narrative. Planning keeps the vision clear and supports small, but consistent moves that all rhyme over time. The movements we all talk about are those that provide opportunities to build our skills in leadership, teamwork, and citizenship through creative expression.

We each have our own gifts and people we love. This makes the style of how we interact with the world all your own. You are your own sustainable accouterment for change.

Everyday activism adds up and the diversity it inspires can keep things interesting. Designed with an open mind and a positive-sum mindset, everyday activists form communities that create conditions to help us all thrive. We develop more conscious people who can then contribute positively to their families, schools, communities, and the world.

By Ben McDougal, ago

Now & Later

Welcome to Wisconsin! Ben McDougal was visiting UW Stevens Point to deliver You Don’t Need This Keynote at the 2024 Think Like an Entrepreneur event. As part of a wonderful whirlwind, he jumped into a local recording studio with two local leaders at different stages in life.

Evan Stanislawski is a recent graduate of UWSP, while Matt Vollmer did the same 10 years ago. After a traditional start to his career, Matt is now an adjunct professor and the CEO of Arbré Technologies, which enables data to help the horticulture industry track the lifecycle of plants. Evan is making a ruckus in vintage clothing, while also turning a wrench in the family plumbing business, which may lead to business succession opportunities.

Together, we chat about building on the timeline of now, while staying patient to make better business decisions. We also jam on real skills, diversified career portfolios, activating digital depth, and how the non-linear path toward success often includes combinations of achievement and lasting fulfillment.

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By Ben McDougal, ago

Making Moves

Antonio Roddy, aka Tone the Movemaker, was born original and is making moves to stay that way. This is an entertaining episode that celebrates lasting initiative. Along with fresh fashion from Designed by the Streets, Tone, Dao, and the team keep turning knobs to stay ahead of the innovation curve. Together, we scratch through origin stories, his creative approach to leveling up, and how mentoring keeps us all moving forward.

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By Ben McDougal, ago

The Art of Connection

Jessica Pfohl Paisley is a creative community builder who is fascinated by the diversity of life. Whether it’s enjoying time with family, building on the frontiers of fashion, or making others feel their best through AMIDST Magizine, Jessica connects community through photography, print, music, and events. Together, we talk about curating resources, event management, and balancing a diversified career portfolio.

Enjoy this Episode
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By Ben McDougal, ago