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.
Nic Roth