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Congratulations to our winner, Erika!
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| image via nycsalt.org |
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| photo via nycsalt.org |
Come meet us at the Hester St. Fair this Saturday, Oct 29 from 10am-6pm. We'll be bringing merchandise that hasn't been released on our website and new exclusive accessories from Olumbukunmi! Don't miss out on our special Hester St. Fair prices. Stop by and see us.
Let's try this one more time! Irene wiped out our last attempt at setting up shop at the Hester Street Fair.
Come join W&W on Saturday, August 27th at the Hester Street Fair on the Lower East Side!
(Hester St at Essex, hesterstreetfair.com; 10am–6pm).
We'll be selling our new summer stuff as well as some new goodies not available on our site! We'll also have special Hester Street Fair prices for all our customers.
Hope to see you there! :)
My best friend Tiffany is on staff at the Central Indiana Teen Challenge, a faith-based rehab center. Its always refreshing to hear about her job whenever we catch up, since our lives are so different. I'm a web designer, spending my days pushing pixels in New York City, while she's changing the lives of young girls, helping bring restoration and healing to the center she works and lives at in Indiana.Central Indiana Teen Challenge is a nonprofit residential organization which ministers to girls of the 13-17 age range with at risk behaviors*. They currently have students from all across the United States and offer 12-month boarding services for teen girls struggling with life-controlling addictions.
Its a place to heal in a safe environment, and a place of second chances for these girls. For many of them, this has become a last resort for them to find true freedom for their lives.
Tiffany mentioned recently how their center is completely run on donations, whether it be monetary, food, or clothing. She told me that they get clothing donations, but usually when they rummage through the stuff, its old, smelly, and not very trendy.
I thought of all the clothes in my closet that I don't wear and are in pretty good condition and could definitely have another go. So I went around gathering clothes from my friends, who like me, often overshop and not wear enough of what's in our closet.
I ended up dropping off to Tiff about 6 large bags of clothing. Most of the clothes were in good condition, some even had the tags still on them. This was a simple act, something that didn't really take much planning or head space, something I just decided to do on a whim. I had no idea how much of an impact it would have. So I was pleasantly surprised by this email I received that week:
(excerpts of Tiffany's email to me)
"I am writing to THANK YOU for your generosity on Friday! Wow! I hope you can send this along to your other friends...
...When I got home on Friday night i stayed up till 1:30am sorting through the clothes- because I was so excited! I then put them in piles accordingly and spread them across the hallway on Saturday morning- so the girls could go through and "SHOP".
Many of the girls don't get a chance to get out and buy new clothes because they are stuck within these walls for some - time- and when they do get a day to be with their parents or guardians families often don't have a lot of money to buy lots of new things because they are paying for a hotel/ activities for the day or even just plain it's difficult for them to even make due with tuition for Teen Challenge Center that month.
I allowed the girls to go through in groups of 2-3 and pick 3 items to start with and then come back again and chose more until most of the clothes were picked through. They were so excited!! Trying things on- asking "how does this look, Tiffany".
Since we have a rule that anything that comes through the house has to be washed before worn- many of the girls asked if they could put their new "dress/ or pants/ or shirt" in the wash so they could wear it the next day to church. I put them in all together. SO FUN!!
I am so thankful for what a blessing this was not only for me to witness but also to the girls...
...GIVING is such a beautiful thing- it goes on and on and on and never stops! Many of the girls afterwards were coming up to me giving me things "they dont' wear" or what has gotten too small for them while they have been here and asked if they could donate it to the caring center down the road for homeless. AWESOME! See it continues on!"
After reading this email and seeing the photos of the girls Tiffany sent along with it, my friends and I all agree that we are the ones that were the most blessed by this donation. As one of my friends wrote back to me, "this email has just made my day!"
I think sometimes we don't know how the little things in life, the small acts, can actually make a big difference. I loved hearing from Tiffany how the giving was continuing, with the girls wanting to give some of their stuff to the homeless center down the road.
So along the theme of giving (and of course clothing!), it only seemed fitting that W&W's July WW10 donation would go to Teen Challenge. A portion of our proceeds from July will be going to support the great work Tiffany and her staff are doing at Central Indiana Teen Challenge.
If you would like more information about Teen Challenge and how you too can donate, contact them through their website or through Miss Tiffany herself at tiffann.fischer@gmail.com
If you are in the New York City area, some other places that I've donated my clothes to include Housing Works, an organization that combats AIDs and homelessness, and of course, the Salvation Army.
This man in his awesome plaid pants kindly agreed to pose with us, but only after he had dropped off his laundry across the street.
Hope these photos got you excited for whats to come! Keep on the look out... we will be adding new merchandise to the ww-shop next week!
Oh how delightful it is to see creativity and craftsmanship pay off! Especially when it is by way of the well-deserved cover of BRIDES magazine! Well, well you may be wondering whom I am referring to and she is definitely worth the hype for her awe-inspiring creations are what a bride's dreams are made of.Meet today's White Monday feature: Nandi Chin Fernandez, she is a fellow designer, a friend and an FIT grad! Nandi's wondrous workings with lace, pleating and the sort have won the hearts of brides and returned the excitement of being a part of the bridal party to bridesmaids lucky enough to have been gifted a Nandi Chin Fernandez stunner!
Nandi Chin Fernandez was chosen from 24 finalists competing for the BRIDES magazine Operation Dream Dress Challenge simply by online votes based on a picture of her dress. Upon receiving her dress in New York, I’m sure BRIDES magazine was ofcourse taken as most people are by Nandi's creations and bestowed the grand prize to Mrs. Chin Fernandez on Good Morning America for the world to see!
W&W is so delighted for our friend and congratulate her on this much deserved accomplishment! We can't wait to pick up the July issue of BRIDES with the dress on the cover TODAY!!! Here’s a sneak peek, enjoy!
To infinity and Beyond!
~B
Photo via Wedzu
*What is Restore?
Restore’s Mission Statement says: “Restore NYC is a non-profit organization that restores freedom, safety and hope to foreign-born survivors of sex trafficking by providing long-term, holistic aftercare services. We partner with local and federal officials and other organizations to empower survivors, as well as facilitate the prosecution of traffickers.”
*Who does restore work with?
We work with foreign-born adult survivors of sex trafficking in NYC. Specifically, our clients are 18+ and are primarily from South Korea, China, and Mexico.
*Why does Restore focus on working with foreign-born women?
When Restore was beginning there was a lack of resources for foreign-born nationals because of lack of citizenship and cultural differences. There are organizations that work with domestic women, like Gems in New York and now because resources are limited our scope of work has to be really focused.
*When did Restore start and how?
The idea was conceived late one night between three friends (including myself) sitting around a kitchen table. We were dreaming about ways that we could change the world (true story). And what we discovered was that we all felt completely and totally committed to fighting sex trafficking. At the time, we all lived in NYC, and we all wanted to provide services directly to survivors, so we started planning. If you want to learn more, feel free to visit the website here: http://restorenyc.org/founder/
*What are Restore’s driving values and passions?
We believe in the empowerment of women. We believe in restoring dignity back to our clients whose lives have been stolen from them by providing freedom, safety and hope to the women that we serve. We believe that recovery takes time, which is why our program is long-term. We believe in providing the best quality of care to survivors of sexual slavery. We do NOT believe in the legalization of prostitution as a way to effectively combat trafficking. Sex work is inherently exploitative in nature. A minor engaged in sex work should be classified as a trafficking victim, whether or not voluntary. Even if coercion or force was not involved, the factors that compel women to enter into sex work are complex. Many voluntary workers engage in sex work because they do not have alternative ways to support themselves. Law enforcement should focus efforts on punishing customers rather than the men/women who engage in sex work. We support harm reduction efforts (distributing condoms to prostituted women, teaching about STDs, overnight child care for the children of sex workers, etc.). We do not support the legalization of prostitution.
*What are some daily and long term projects Restore is working on?
Daily we provide counseling, case management, mentoring, court advocacy, ESL, job training, safe housing and much more. In October of last year, we opened the door to the first long term safe house in New York City, specifically designed to meet the complex needs of foreign born sex trafficking survivors. The safe house is more than a place for survivors to rest their heads for the night. We have weekly programs and volunteers coming to the house consistently to help the women become self-sufficient with practical skills such as improving their English, job coaching and tend to their healing and self-expression through processes such as arts and crafts, yoga, prayer and mentoring support. It is a place where meals are cooked and shared, where television shows are laughed over together, where tears are shed and encouragement is given. A place where women who have suffered hideous crimes can feel human and connected again. It is a place of peace and rest, of community and safety. It is truly a home.
Longer-term projects would include expanding our program to include client owned business co-ops so that the women have a place to work after coming out of brothels. Also, we would like to add additional safe houses throughout the city.
*Tell me more about the safe house.
In October, we opened our first safe house. It’s the bread and butter of what we’ve been striving for the past 3 years. If you asked anyone about human trafficking and what the biggest need for help is it was safe housing and it still is. We provide residential and non-residential services. Now with the safe house, we are able to provide so much more care. It allows us to ensure our clients’ safety and stability as a foundation to the other things we can provide them. Our non-residential services are mostly centered on helping women and girls through the court system, and 50% of them continue working with Restore after court. In time, our hope is for client leadership, like peer-to-peer mentoring.
*Where do you see Restore in 3 years?
3 years from now, I would like to replicate the Restore model by providing the best quality of care to survivors in other US cities, such as Houston/Dallas/Austin, LA, Atlanta, Charlotte, etc.
*Why did you pick these cities?
*Has Restore thought of going international?
Up to this point we haven’t talked about going international, but we’re not opposed to it. Give the opportunity and resources to do so, we would. A huge part of our work comes from the community members here in New York City, so community members need to be committed.
*What are the most rewarding and challenging parts of your day?
Rewarding and challenging parts of my day: most rewarding is the interaction that I have with clients and staff. I love being able to support staff as they are doing the hands on work with clients by providing the counseling, helping the women to learn to ride the subway, cooking meals, etc. I also love teaching people about the issue and seeing the "light bulb" go off when they realize that this is REALLY happening in the US/NYC, and that we ALL have a role to play in ending modern day slavery. The most challenging part of my day is when I hear about a client who is really, really struggling, or a case that is particularly violent and upsetting. It's important when doing this work to remain hopeful and to find outlets and ways to express frustration. I do yoga regularly, I have great friends that support me, and I love to run -- it's a great stress release!
*How can people get involved locally with Restore? Or if they don't live in NYC, how would you suggest people get involved in anti-trafficking campaigns or movements?
I think people are afraid of starting something like Restore because of what it could look like, but it is possible, though it takes a lot of time and work.
*In your experience, what contributes to the growth of human trafficking?
Human trafficking exists because of demand. Trafficking is a symptom of gender oppression, inequality and poverty. Girls are seen as less than boys. 80% of people trafficked are women and girls and the majority is for sexual exploitation. The average age of girls being trafficked is 12-13 years old. The demand for cheap and available sex whenever and however people can get it is a driving factor. Underlying this is the sexualization of girls at a younger age and is more violent and degrading. No one wakes up and decides they want to be a prostitute or a perpetrator. There’s an entry point into it that our culture feeds into. Supply has also increased greatly because of globalization, the world is getting smaller, transportation is becoming quicker, easier and cheaper. As a culture we have to draw the line…
Human trafficking can be found where ethnic enclaves exist. Sometimes prostitution is rampant through generations of a family. Human traffickers are often times not just trafficking people, but drugs and sometimes guns as well.
W&W is inspired to work with Restore NYC and hear their story of joining the fight against sex slavery (something we feel strongly about). Don’t take your late night dreaming with friends for granted! Jill, for W&W, over and out.
