Conscious Chatter With Kestrel Jenkins

In episode 221, Kestrel welcomes Roopa Pemmaraju, the founder of her namesake label, to the show. A slow luxury fashion brand, with an emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility, Roopa Pemmaraju’s collections celebrate Indian crafting techniques that have been handed down for hundreds of years. “We don’t buy fabrics in bulk or we don’t create the products in bulk. If we have an order today, that’s when my atelier back in India would create that product, so that’s why we ask our customers or our retailers to give us that much of a time, so that we can create this product with integrity and the right way and the right fabrication that we require to create that sustainable brand.” -Roopa Pemmaraju, Founder of Roopa Pemmaraju On this week’s show, Roopa shares more on her past story and what led her to build her own brand. She and Kestrel also dive into more of what slow fashion means to Roopa’s brand, and how she defines it in her work. Additionally, Kestrel asks Roopa if and how she sees the Farmers P

In episode 220, Kestrel welcomes Chanelle Harris, the founder of NELLO, to the show. A curated thrift brand, NELLO is non-binary to any form of fashion and promotes positive self-love with sustainable clothing through artistic expression. “These aren’t just clothes — it’s what you make it, and that’s part of your style. And although you’re not going to get the latest trends that are happening (these items aren’t a part of that category), you can still make it your own. It’s how you define yourself in any way — whether it’s the clothes you wear, what you say, what you want to do in life — it’s how you define it and how you share that with other people.” -Chanelle Harris, Founder of NELLO On this week’s show, Chanelle shares more on what led her to have such a love for vintage and how secondhand shopping with her grandma got her inspired by past generations’ style. She also shares more about how she went from completing a master’s in clinical psychology in London to building her own vintage shop. Kestrel and C

In episode 219, Kestrel welcomes Dr. Kimberly McGlonn, the CEO and creative director of Grant Blvd, to the show. By sourcing reclaimed fabrics, manufacturing exclusively in Philadelphia, and supporting incarcerated & returning citizens, Grant Blvd believes it’s time to recalibrate our systems and our style. “Love takes commitment — right? Those of us who have loved something fully, richly, wholly — it is an act of daily commitment. And so, actually the word love is not a light word at all. Hate is easy, anger is easy, frustration is easy, quit is easy, love is hard. And that’s what we need more of in design, and fashion design specifically — we need more commitment to decisions made from a place of the longterm, rooted in a vision of love.” -Dr. Kimberly McGlonn, Founder + CEO of Grant Blvd On this week’s show, Kimberly shares more on her journey, and how she went from being a teacher to then, building a fashion brand, based on the primary intention of finding a way to create jobs. Throughout this conver

In episode 218, Kestrel welcomes the multifaceted 20-year-old phenom, Maya Penn, to the show. The award-winning founder and CEO of eco-fashion brand Maya’s Ideas, Maya is a 3 time TED Speaker, artist, global activist, animator, filmmaker, social entrepreneur, coder and Simon & Schuster author. “Especially now, with things really coming to a tipping point of sorts, with so many different environmental and social issues — I think people still need to continue to have hope, because the main point of destructive or oppressive systems is for people to become weary and to become hopeless.” -Maya Penn, Founder + CEO of Maya’s Ideas On this week’s show, Maya shares more on how she got started in the sustainability and fashion world from a very young age — she was only 8 when she launched her eco-friendly fashion brand Maya’s Ideas. Maya and Kestrel also explore the importance of hope within activism, what the mainstream is missing when it comes to listening to youth activists, and how sustainability doesn’t have

In episode 217, Kestrel welcomes Katie Pruett, the founder and editor-in-chief of Ethical Style Journal, back to the show to reconnect. A multimedia platform exploring fashion with a modern and mindful perspective, Ethical Style Journal is expanding the conversation surrounding ethics and sustainability in fashion. “That’s the issue with sustainable fashion a lot of the times is that people want to do good, but they want to do good on the surface — they don’t really want to do good at the core, and that has become something that is too familiar in this space and it needs to be challenged at every corner.” -Katie Pruett, Founder + Editor-In-Chief of Ethical Style Journal On this week’s show, Katie shares an update on what she has been working on since we last chatted, and how her approach to sustainability and fashion has evolved since then. We also discuss a couple of the articles currently available on ESJ, and get into some of the nuances connected to cultural sustainability — the origin of natural dyes, t

In episode 216, Kestrel welcomes Robbie Stuart, the founder of KIDS WORLDWIDE, to the show. A collaborative brand, KIDS WORLDWIDE is focused on supporting, empowering and nurturing youth through socially and environmentally-conscious fashion. Robbie is also joined by Swami Durga Das, the founder of nonprofit River Fund, who KIDS WORLDWIDE partners with for several layers of their work, as well as Zara, Nishaul, Chrissy and Washal — young artists whose work is featured on KIDS’ designs. “It really becomes about peoples’ responsibility inside themselves to give back to each other — if that’s in volunteering or in serving or however we do it — it’s really in giving back to each other. And I think then, in the long run, it makes the planet better and each of us better.” -Swami Durga Das, Founder of River Fund On this week’s show, Robbie shares more on what led her to want to build KIDS WORLDWIDE and how she partners with Swami and River Fund, to build something that’s far more than just a fashion brand. Four kid

In episode 215, Kestrel welcomes Kameese Davis, the founder and CEO of Nylah’s Naturals, to the show. A young plant-based hair care brand, Nylah’s Naturals has introduced a science-based approach to textured hair products, and is pushing boundaries for clean and sustainable products. “It’s about combining that plant-based knowledge with the knowledge that our foremothers had and our grandmothers had in terms of how they would use plants and herbs for natural healing and for their beauty treatments as well — so, our passion really is combining those two elements to ensure that we are developing the best possible products for our consumers.” -Kameese Davis, Founder + CEO of Nylah’s Naturals On this week’s show, Kameese shares more on her journey and how a journey with her daughter ended up leading her to build Nylah’s Naturals. Also, Kestrel and Kameese discuss some of the aspects of the Silent Spring Institute study “Hair products for Black women contain mix of hazardous ingredients” — and how the findings co

In episode 214, Kestrel welcomes Isaias Hernandez, the creator of Queer Brown Vegan, to the show. As a Queer, Brown, and Vegan environmentalist, Isaias makes accessible environmental education content, showcased on his platform Queer Brown Vegan, and seeks to provide a safe space for other like-minded environmentalists to engage in the discourse of the current climate crisis. “I really believed in creating a space as Queer Brown Vegan to discuss everything that I learned and just put it out there so people can have information to themselves and not have to feel ashamed for asking questions … I really push for the narrative of 'you are your own environmentalist' that includes Indigenous experiences, ancestral knowledge if you are Indigenous, cultural-based experiences for BIPOC individuals or just lived experiences that you've had that you don't resemble to environmentalism.” -Isaias Hernandez, Founder of Queer Brown Vegan On this week’s show, Isaias shares more of his story, and how when he was studying envi

In episode 213, Kestrel welcomes Reza Cristián, the founder and editor-in-chief of SUSTAIN The Mag, to the show. An online media platform, SUSTAIN The Mag is a space where eco-conscious warriors cultivate a healthy, planet-friendly lifestyle. “There was mostly you know, white people that were at the top, executives and editors-in-chiefs for example, and then, people on the covers — they weren’t really everyday people, so I was really turned off by that. And that’s really what led me to want to shift and change the perspective around media, and really tie it into sustainability because in a whole, it’s not just about caring for the planet — it’s caring about everyone and just interconnecting it all — so, that was my main priority to start Sustain The Mag.” -Reza Cristián, Founder + Editor-In-Chief of SUSTAIN Mag On this week’s show, Reza shares more on her background and how resourcefulness has always been integrated into her lifestyle, growing up in a Mexican family. She also shares more on what led her to a

In episode 212, Kestrel welcomes Comet Chukura, the founder of GLOW, to the show. A knitwear brand pioneering adaptable accessories that reflect light, GLOW is committed to using sustainable materials and ethical production, with an intention to create social as well as environmental impact. “The point is to always work with women on the peripheries — slow fashion, since it’s all hand-knitted and crocheted, it does take a while to make — but the point is to utilize skills, which they would otherwise fall by the wayside, and kind of give Indigenous handicraft the respect it deserves in our system of fashion.” -Comet Chukura, Founder of GLOW On this week’s show, Comet shares more what about led her to build GLOW, what her supply chain looks like, and how working with marginalized women is at the core of the brand. Additionally, she explains how the “tech” works for GLOW’s sustainable, high visibility yarn. Additionally, we touch on the layers of issues connected to the white gaze and white savior complex withi

In episode 211, Kestrel welcomes Diandra Marizet, who spearheads Business Development + Operations at Intersectional Environmentalist. A conscious curator, brand strategist + writer, Diandra is dedicated to elevating intersectional sustainability through the lens of fashion, social impact + culture. “We need everybody pursuing intersectionality, environmentalism, sustainability — like, whatever you’re latching onto in terms of progress, latch onto it, but do it in a healthy way that’s manageable in the longterm.” -Diandra Marizet, Business Development + Operations at Intersectional Environmentalist On this week’s show, Diandra shares more on her journey into the environmental movement, and how she went from growing up as a tomboy to working in apparel buying at Kate Spade, and eventually getting into social impact funding. She also shares more of her thoughts on what the fashion industry needs to be focusing on right now to avoid putting another bandaid on an issue — and to instead, look at the root of the i

The Root Episode 6: The New Standard is broken down into 3 parts — 1) coproducers Dominique and Kestrel interview each other to get a brief feeling of how this project has impacted them individually, 2) we share interviews with 4 of our sponsors from this project, and 3) we share more on what “The New Standard” means to us, the pillars it is built upon, and what questions we all need to be asking moving forward.  THE ROOT SPONSORS SAMATA, CEO of Red Carpet Green Dress “It’s mandatory listening to the point where it should be curriculum. And I always advocate for teaching people about how clothes are made - that they come from trees and farms and rivers and lakes and hands. But I think the other part is that we need to educate people about the systems that exist within the industry - not just the products and how they’re made.” REBECCA BURGESS, Founder of Fibershed “Our culture is so superficial right now around the conversations around race. And I think what The Root did is - it literally rooted in the va

The Root Episode 5: Where Do We Go From Here? is a unique compilation of all 17 guests from the previous 4 episodes sharing a proclamation statement of how we intentionally move the fashion industry forward.  PART 1, Historical Analysis & Paradigm Shift   MIKO UNDERWOOD “The American fashion community was born from the inception of indigo farms in America. The enslaved labor of Black Americans grew the cotton industry and built America’s fashion economy … we are required to be culturally accountable and culturally responsible.” ADITI MAYER “The future of fashion is one that understands the history and oppression that it’s built upon … What we need is an interrogation of power exists, why it exists and how we can disassemble and redistribute it for true equity.” NIKKI SANCHEZ “My vision for the future of fashion is a complete decolonization of the industry. From design to material sourcing to brand and marketing structure. This would mean a 180 turn from appropriation, exploitation, extraction and fa

The Root Episode 4: The Future Of Fashion is broken down in 4 lightening talk segments, hosted by Dominique Drakeford. Part 1 discuses Marketing with Aditi Mayer & Terumi Murao. Part 2 hones in on Education with Kimberly Jenkins and Whitney McGuire. Part 3 dives into Small Business Entrepreneurship with Akilah Stewart and Ibada Wadud. Lastly, Part 4 contextualizes the landscape of Policy with Ify Ike and Ayesha Barenblat. Terumi Murao is a sustainable stylist and model who works in the fashion and commercial advertising industry. She has worked previously in scientific research, luxury hospitality, and marketing for design & technology. Her curiosity and creative restlessness continually drive her to imagine and iterate on new human-centered, sustainable solutions. She cares deeply about fashion as a tool for personal growth, and a platform to elevate underrepresented voices and advocate for justice. Links to Terumi’s work: Terumi’s Website Follow Terumi on Instagram Aditi Mayer is a sustainable

The Root Episode 3: Racism In The Fashion Industry is broken down into 2 segments. The first segment focuses on the designer lens in which Dominique Drakeford speaks with sustainable fashion designers Miko Underwood and DJ discussing the creation of the fashion industry and the importance of shifting the white exploitive gaze through historical analysis, Black abundance mindset and cultural responsibility. In the second segment, Dominique Drakeford hones in on the “influencer” lens by speaking with Aja Barber and Emi Ito on the uses of social media as a tool for education, advocacy and solidarity against institutional oppression. Damian Joel (preferably called D.J.) is a self-taught designer who credits his interest in fashion to years of witnessing his mother sweat over her sewing machine to make ends meet. After years of working in corporate Jamaica as a Marketing and PR executive, D.J. transitioned his career, and became a regular style correspondent on Jamaica’s morning show. He also acted as a Personal

In The Root Episode 2: The Power of Privilege, Dominique Drakeford speaks with activist-educators Ericka Hart, Blair Imani and Rachel Ricketts, discussing the functions of privilege and the importance of applying critical and intersectional approaches toward dismantling white supremacy in fashion and beyond. Rachel Ricketts is a global thought leader + outspoken champion for Black and Indigenous womxn. As a racial justice activist, lawyer, healer, speaker + author, she educates white folx on their role in perpetuating white supremacy, and helps folx of colour heal from internalized oppression. Rachel’s work has been featured in Vox, Mind Body Green, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Elephant Journal, 21Ninety, Black Girl in Om and Thrive. She has worked with prestigious international companies including Google, WeWork, Lululemon and TELUS and presented at renowned conferences including SXSW 2018 + 2019. Rachel’s first book My Love Includes Anger will be published by Atria Books in 2021. Links to Rachel’s work: Ra

In The Root Episode 1: Racism as a System, Dominique Drakeford speaks with scholars and academic activists Nikki Sanchez and Lisa Betty on the importance of dismantling colonial systems and reclaiming the fullness of Native American & Afro-Indigenous history as a regenerative framework for liberation and true sustainability across every industry. Nikki Sanchez is a Pipil/Maya and Irish/Scottish academic, Indigenous media maker, environmental educator and community organizer. She holds a master's degree in Indigenous Governance and is presently completing a Ph.D. with a research focus on emerging visual media technology as it relates to Indigenous ontology. Nikki's first book, Spirits of the Coast - An Anthology of the Salish Sea Resident Orca Whales - was just released by the Royal BC Museum. Nikki's most recent project is the 8-part documentary VICELAND series “RISE” focused on global Indigenous resurgence. RISE was debuted at Sundance in February 2017 and has received global critical acclaim, recently

In episode 204, Kestrel welcomes Kamea Chayne, the host of Green Dreamer Podcast, to the show. A Taiwanese American eco creative, writer and author, Kamea illuminates our paths to ecological regeneration, intersectional sustainability, and true abundance and wellness for all through her powerful show, Green Dreamer. “Sustainability to me isn’t an individualistic pursuit for individual people or brands — rather, it’s a collective goal requiring context and systemic change. In order to be sustainable, we also need to be regenerative in our actions and practices.” -Kamea Chayne, Host of Green Dreamer Podcast On this week’s show, Kamea shares more on her journey, along with the origins and evolution of her podcast, Green Dreamer. Kestrel asks Kamea to share more on what regenerative means to her, and she outlines the way she interprets it, with relation to sustainability. Also, Kamea shares more on what she has learned through her show, with regard to why we need to decolonize “environmental conservation”. As Gr

In episode 203, Kestrel welcomes Manpreet Kaur Kalra, the founder of Art of Citizenry, to the show. An activist and educator, Manpreet is dedicated to exploring the intersection of digital media, social impact and justice. “One of those very tangible things that I often tell people that they need to work on is the language they use — really being thoughtful about words such as empowerment, which really imply this idea of the person on the receiving end is not empowered to begin with.” -Manpreet Kaur Kalra, Founder of Art of Citizenry On this week’s show, Manpreet shares more on what led her from the tech industry to creating her own unique business in the social impact space. After discovering how the minority voice is lost in sustainability, Manpreet set out to address power dynamics in social entrepreneurship. Throughout the conversation, Manpreet breaks down more on heropreneurship, white saviorism, and what decolonization means to her. She also dives into more on how fashion has been built on appropriati

In episode 202, Kestrel welcomes Fashion Psychologist Shakaila Forbes-Bell to the show. With her area of research focused on diversity in fashion and the importance of multicultural marketing, Shakaila was among the first people in the world to hold a Masters Degree in Psychology for Fashion Professionals at University of the Arts London: London College of Fashion, and she is also the founder of the platform Fashion Is Psychology. “In the wake of the Black Lives Movement, when people are really starting to think about the lived experiences of Black people across all industries, we’re definitely going to start to see some major upheaval, and I’m quite excited about that.” -Shakaila Forbes-Bell, Fashion Psychologist + Founder of Fashion Is Psychology On this week’s show, Shakaila shares more on what led her from wanting to be “the Black female Frasier” and a clinical psychologist, to carving out her own space in the psychology discipline at the intersections of fashion, representation, media, and marketing. He