20 YEARS...

CAREER NARRATIVE

NEW SAMPLE

ONE YEAR AGO WE WON THIS AWARD CLICK THE LINK...

THIS OCTOBER MARKS 20 YEARS SINCE I MADE MY FIRST PAIR OF JEANS.

AND AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, I FEEL LIKE I CAN FINALLY EXPLAIN WHAT I DO AND WHY I’M HERE.

I’M NO LONGER DEFINING MYSELF AS A JEANS MAKER.

I’M THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HOLY STITCH! FACTORY FELLOWSHIP, MY OWN NONPROFIT. AND I’M STEPPING FULLY INTO WHAT THAT RESPONSIBILITY MEANS.

JEANS ARE MY VEHICLE FOR IMPACT AND CHANGE.

NOW, I’M STILL ONE OF THE BEST AT WHAT I DO. I STAND ON THAT. I’VE MADE SOME OF THE MOST UNIQUE JEANS OUT THERE, AND THEY DON’T HAVE TO LOOK LIKE A MINER WORE THEM.

I’VE TAUGHT PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY IN THIS INDUSTRY, AND I’M TEACHING PEOPLE WHO WILL HELP SHAPE WHERE IT GOES NEXT. I’M PROUD OF THAT.

BUT I’VE HAD TO ASK MYSELF: AFTER 20 YEARS, WHERE DOES MY EXPERIENCE DO THE MOST GOOD?

FOR ME, IT’S PASSING IT ON. IT’S MENTORING. IT’S GIVING YOUNG PEOPLE ACCESS TO EQUIPMENT, KNOWLEDGE, AND SOMEONE WHO TAKES THEIR IDEAS SERIOUSLY.

IT’S HELPING SOMEONE DEVELOP A SKILL THEY CAN USE TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES, EXPRESS THEMSELVES, AND HAVE MORE SAY IN THEIR OWN FUTURE.

AND YES, I’M STILL GOING TO OPEN MY WILLY WONKA FACTORY AND SCHOOL. THAT DREAM IS VERY MUCH ALIVE. I’VE BEEN WORKING TOWARD IT FOR YEARS, AND I’M GOING TO KEEP GOING.

MUSIC, CLOTHING, MANUFACTURING—THESE ARE THE WAYS I KNOW HOW TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE. THEY GET SOMEONE INTERESTED. THEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD SOMETHING TOGETHER.

I WANT TO MAKE THIS EARTH A BETTER PLACE THROUGH WHAT I KNOW AND WHAT I CAN SHARE. MY WORK NOW IS MAKING SURE MORE YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE THE ROOM, THE GUIDANCE, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY’RE CAPABLE OF.

IT TOOK ME ALMOST 20 YEARS TO SAY THAT THIS CLEARLY.

I KNOW WHAT MY CAUSE IS. AND I WANTED TO PUT THAT HERE, IN MY OWN WORDS.