Ethics

One of the greatest joys of my micro business is that I can use my work to align my imprint with my beliefs. Keeping my business so small gives me the involvement in every aspect to see that I am supporting other businesses, supply chains and ventures that resonate with my morals.

Some examples of this include making sure to hire diverse models and seeking out solutions/supporting correction when I see a lacking (i.e. sourcing trans model contacts when there wasn’t any representation in a show, advocating for size diversity when it is underserving, even in earlier days I’ve paid out of pocket to hire my own plus models when a show told me they “couldn’t afford to hire additional models” in response to my asking why there was no plus representation). Gratefully in the last couple of years I’ve found shows that excel at greater inclusion and I feel super loyal to participating in them (I’m looking at you Knockout!!).

I also believe one of my bigger impact responsibilities lies in environmental and capitalist practices. I always have been a bit of a waste avoid-er, trying to utilize my scrap materials and opting to hand cut individual pieces to conserve fabric waste rather than the bulk cutting many producers opt for the save on time/labor costs. This allows me to invest in higher quality materials since so much less is going in the trashcan. My staple fabrics are sourced though a small, local to Portland supplier, and the cotton material I use for bike shorts in produced in the USA. In 2019 I switched my black spandex material to a recycled content poly spandex and have been loving the buttery smooth material made from recycled polyester yarns. I have switched to all USA made recycled packing/shipping materials using 100% post consumer content tissue paper, reusable recycled material mailers and recycled paper labels. I always ship USPS because I believe in public services above private corps, and I like the people who work at the post office.

I will also mention that my business (and personal shopping for that matter) boycotts Amazon and Walmart since they are capitalist trash companies who’s CEOs hoard wealth and exploit their workers shamelessly.
I always look for a USA made options before sourcing materials produced elsewhere and in that mentality sourcing local to Portland is first priority.

Please feel free to email me if any of this is unclear or if you would like to discuss any other aspects of my practices. I love transparency!

:)

 

Accountability note:

In 2010 and 2011, when I was in my very early 20s, I was involved with a publication/magazine that featured sensitive imagery and ignorant portrayals of minorities. What the publishers pitched to us as edgy counter culture was in fact offensive and racist towards a lot of people and I would like to speak to that.

We collaborated on a specifically ignorant “cowboys and Indians” photo shoot that I have deep regrets about not knowing better than to have participated in (or with the magazine in general). I believe the backlash from the images functioned as a catalyst in my personal growth journey away from the total white-blindness I was raised inside of, in Eugene, OR.
Sadly the same activity around the problematic content served to propel the magazine to further notoriety (and $$). Out of fear for feeding the activity and attention towards the magazine I neglected to speak out against them publicly and we went our separate ways peacefully around 2012.

I would like to apologize for any harm my participation caused. I feel vary sad these photos still exist and can continue to hurt people and feed an offensive narrative.

I hope anyone can see though my work in the subsequent years that I would not condone or participate in content of this variety again and I aim to use all platform and privileges I have to be a force for inclusiveness, justice and betterment of my field and the communities I intersect with.

Thank you to everyone who supported me to grow and do better!