runway to service: recognizing 9/11 as a day of service
It never ceases to amaze me how much one’s life could change in a single year. Last year, at this very moment, I would’ve been on the subway, riding to a job that was slowly killing me. Self-absorption was a mantra. My only concerns would’ve been how to survive my day without screaming during meetings where coworkers were fond of displaying their cattiness like plumage, and whether or not I could secure a Prada handbag. My life rarely went beyond what was in front of me, and surrounded by so much privilege, my sense of perspective was skewed. Here I was, a self-made woman who grew up in a hard neighborhood, but put herself through college and graduate school. Slowly forgetting where she came from. And as the months passed, I realized that living a life that revolves around me wasn’t a life best lived. Never would I have envisioned the role my life has taken, and never did I conceive that I would be so passionate about launching a non-profit organization, where my priorities would need to shift from me to the less privileged.
Change and self-awareness are truly wonderful things. Instead of gritting my teeth at incompetent, passive-aggressive coworkers who snipe that I’m not a team player, I spend my days researching ways in which I could make a minor difference in someone else’s life. Fashion For All is simply not my organization, but a passion shared by myself and my amazing board of directors. A mission that rises above ourselves, a vision that is wholly gratifying and one worth fighting for. And when Yuli Ziv of Style Coalition approached me with this incredible initiative - teaming up with an organization dedicated to raising service awareness in remembrance and celebration of those who lost their lives on September 11th - I was honored, thrilled, and humbled to participate in any way.
In March 2009, after a seven-year campaign led by MyGoodDeed, September 11 was recognized by the Congress as a National Day of Service. In one of our conversations we talked about the fact that S/S Fashion Week in NY always falls on 9/11 and ideas on how the fashion community could promote the spirit of volunteerism, now associated with this day. We are more than excited to see this idea growing into a massive initiative with presence inside the Bryant Park tents, supported by IMG and several top designers including Donna Karan, Rachel Roy, Milly, Vivenne Tam, Tommy Hilfiger and many others. One of the main components of the project will be Runway to Service, a designer auction to support several charities, including Fashion for All.
WWD broke the news yesterday, and we’re not only raising awareness of repositioning 9/11 as a day of giving back, we urge you to contribute by volunteering at your local non-profit organization, performing an altruistic gesture on 9/11, or if you’re able, bidding on a host of priceless pieces generously donated by leading fashion designers.
Additionally, on 9/11, IMG has graciously lent MyGoodDeads and Fashion For All their lounge from 9am-4pm. Stop by, log your good deeds, and learn more about the participating organizations as well as how you can make a difference.
