ISSUE 3 // Taylor Mathews

ISSUE 003

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Contributing Team Members Editor-In-Chief Annie Jacobs

Publicist Flannery Cusick

Writers Keilah Guardado Ilana Newman Isobel Riches Kendall Ries

Photographers Amanda Goon Andrew Black Annie Jacobs Nick Johnson Hanna Walters Ana Massard

Head of Design Armando Rodriguez

Designers Clara Arcos Rachel Sandene

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Hunter Hunted

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ENDING THE STIGMA IN STYLE Written by: Isobel Riches Pictures by: Hanna Walters

When you combine fashion with mental health, We a r Yo u r L a b e l i s t h e o u t c o m e . S t a r t e d b y two

young

entrepreneurs,

Kayley

and

Kyle,

We a r Yo u r L a b e l i s a b r a n d t h a t a i m s t o g e t rid of the negative labels that come with mental

health

issues.

End

the

stigma,

in

style.

K a y l e y, a 2 1 y e a r o l d f a s h i o n w r i t e r a n d K y l e , w h o w o r k s l o c a l l y, m e t a y e a r a n d a h a l f a g o a n d c o n n e c t e d i n s t a n t l y. T h e y b o t h s h a r e d t h e struggles of living with mental illnesses, as it is something they have both experienced, and felt passionate about helping others who are g o i n g t h r o u g h s o m e t h i n g s i m i l a r. We a r Yo u r Label was born over a dinner-time conversation when the two realized they could combine the experience they had gained from their mental health journeys and tackle the stigma.

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However, the original idea was not such a great one, as Kayley told us. ‘The original idea for Wear Your Label was to physically put mental health labels on clothes: “Anxiety” and “Schizophrenia” on t-shirts. That was a really bad idea.’ But Kyle explained that with that idea, the concept was there. They changed plan and decided to design their products to feature positive and encouraging messages. ‘The philosophy from the beginning is the same: instead of shying away from the labels that so often stigmatize us, we’re trying to take ownership over them. If we continue to fear over these terms, and give them a negative connotation, no one will ever talk about it. So we thought - let’s make mental health something people can be proud to talk about; something stylish and empowering. By letting individuals wear their label, they’re acknowledging that it doesn’t define who they are. It’s a part of them, not all of them.’

One thing that they feel is a problem is the fact that no one is talking about the mental health issues that are so common today. ‘1 in 5 have mental illness, but 5 in 5 have mental health.

Yet no one is talking about it. We’re trying to use fashion as that conversation starter’. They explained that their brand is somewhat a band aid for mental health; a way to show people you are hurt, but getting better. Kayley and Kyle both believe that the most important message behind the brand is ‘it’s okay not to be okay’, and they want as many people as possible to know that. Kayley believes that one of the main reasons mental illnesses are considered something to be ashamed of is because those affected are afraid of how friends, family, and colleagues will perceive them. She told us ‘There’s so many stereotypes about what mental illness is, what it looks like, who is affected... and it prevents so many people from starting those vital conversations and getting treatment. If we can make mental health a little more visible & acceptable through

www.facebook.com/wearyourlabel

our clothing, then hopefully more people will have the courage to speak up and reach out for help when they need it.’

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Wear Your Label create fashionable clothing, such as tee shirts and sweatshirts, which each hold a small and positive message, inspiring to encourage and reassure both wearers and others, too. Their unique products are much more than just stylish and comfy to wear: there is care and thought put into every design. And what’s more is that with each purchase, 10% of profits are put into mental health initiatives. That’s what makes Wear Your Label so special - Kayley and Kyle are so passionate about the cause that is so close to their hearts.

However, starting the business came with the unavoidable challenges that most new ventures encounter. They started off unsure of how to finance their idea and make it a reality, but with the support of local universities and the community it soon became one. Kyle told us that ‘Starting a business is really tough. I think we were both pretty lucky in that we were naive about the industry, and what it really takes to start a business.

So we both jumped in with nothing to lose. We’ve hit a lot of bumps along the way but being 100% passionate about the cause is what keeps us able to bounce back from any doubt or obstacles that arise.’ They had some advice to give to young

something that you would do day and night, without pay, and

entrepreneurs who also dream of starting their own busi-

then worry about building a business around that passion.’

ness, ‘If you’re not passionate, you don’t stand a chance. Find Future plans for Wear Your Label include expanding the current collection to a fuller line which they hope to sell in retail boutiques. The pair are both keen to combine the fashion and mental health world, and they are hoping their expansion will ‘bring to life some of the more stylish/higher-end pieces that we’ve designed. Pieces that you can wear to a job interview, or on a first date, but still give you that same comfort of not being alone in your struggle’. And you can help! Wear Your Label are starting a Kickstarter campaign on May the 20th to fund the future of the business. If you are interested in supporting them, check out their website for updates on how you can you be part of it.

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Kayley and Kyle are both inspiring individuals, raising awareness and ending stigmas in style. Their products are available to purchase at http://wearyourlabel.com/, where you can also find out more. They are certainly a brand to watch out for in the future, but the message remains the key thing behind their clothes; ‘Just like our clothing is an accessory to your outfit, your mental health is an accessory to your life - you might not be able to take it off,

@wearyourlabel

but it does not define who you are.’

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THE SECRET TO THE LIGHT AND REFRESHING TREND Written by: Amanda Goon

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Recently, açaí bowls have been taking the world by storm.

healthier because juice from a container contains sugars and

This light and refreshing breakfast/snack is both beautiful

other chemicals that are bad for your body.

and nutritional. Açaí berries are the main component in an

I like to use frozen fruits in my açaí bowls, because it helps

açaí bowl, which is rich in antioxidants, which helps keep

keep my bowl cold and more frozen than fresh fruit would.

your body running healthy. An açaí bowl is actually super

You don’t have to use strawberries and peaches like I do, the

easy to make, as long as you have a few of the right ingredi-

options are endless!

ents, and it’s super delicious!

Fresh lime juice is really refreshing on your pallet, which is

There are many ways to create an açaí bowl. I’ll tell you some

why I like to include that in my bowl. I also like adding

of the different ways, and I’ll show you my favorite way,

raw oats, because it is a healthy way of adding carbohydrates

which I believe is the most nutritional.

into your body. When the oats get into your stomach, they will expand, helping you feel more full. Lastly, I love using

Here’s what ingredients I usually use:

chia seeds in my bowl, because they are full of protein, calci-

1 frozen açaí berry packet

um, omega, fiber, antioxidants and potassium, which is very

1 whole orange peeled

healthy for your body.

1 handful of frozen strawberries

You could decorate your bowl in any way you want! I use

1 handful of frozen peaches

sliced bananas and shredded coconut. You could use granola

1/2 squeezed lime

or nuts to add some crunch, kiwi, blueberries…anything, it’s

1 spoonful of raw rolled oats

all up to you!

1 spoonful of chia seeds 1 sliced banana 1/4 cup of shredded coconut

Now here’s the easy part, all you have to do in blend the ingredients together! They might not all fit in your blender at once, so what I usually do is add the frozen açaí berry with the orange, blend it up, and then add each ingredient one at a time.

••• All of the ingredients except for the frozen açaí berry are interchangeable. I use the whole orange as my liquid component to mix up all of the ingredients. Some people use a juice, or water; however I feel that juice from a fresh fruit is

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A CHAT WITH MUSICIAN TAYLOR MATHEWS

Written by: Kendall Ries Pictures by: Amanda Goon His friends and family may say it was when he was 13 and first picked up a guitar, but what really launched Taylor’s music career was his 2010 audition for the fifth season of America’s Got Talent when he was 18. He was a judge’s favorite and made it all the way to the Top 10.

As an aspiring singer/songwriter turned hometown hero, Mathews, along with the other top 10 acts, toured America, playing large theaters for of thousands of adoring fans.

He spent the remainder of 2011 recording his first EP solo album with Grammy-winning producers and songwriters. That EP, Head Over Feeling, debuted in the top 40 of the iTunes album chart and has sold over 10,000 singles! Now, at age 23, he has toured the greater United States and Canada with support from other musicians and a Kickstarter campaign to push him further. His sophomore album is set to release in late 2016. Taylor is currently touring with another up-and-coming artist, Ross David, whose fifth EP is set to release this summer.

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What is your favorite childhood memory?

What is your favorite quote? Why?

My favorite childhood memory would have to be playing

My favorite quote is “Dreams don’t work unless you do.”

army in the corn fields behind my house. After our first

Because that sums up everything I believe in, which is

home burned down, we moved into a newly developed

earning success. That’s where value for what you do comes

neighborhood that had a bunch of open land with corn

from and I just respect myself so much more at the end of

fields, and I made it a point to cut down a few stalks and

the day when I feel like I’ve really gotten my hands dirty.

create myself a little hidden base. I used to give myself medals for doing some valiant imaginary task...I was my

What did you want to grow up to be when you were

own best friend, ha.

younger?

I didn’t really grow up wanting to be anything specific,

What is your favorite movie?

although I did have a very active imagination. I’d jump

My favorite movie is That Thing You Do. Every time my

from being a cowboy to being in the army to being a na-

dad and I see it come on the TV, we always make a point

scar driver. So, all together, I think it makes sense that I’m

to watch it or record it on DVR. It’s our little “father and

a songwriter now. I love daydreaming a world up in my

son thing” we do when I’m in town.

head.

When you have free time, what do you find yourself

When did you learn how to play music?

doing?

I learned to play drums when I was 12. I use the term

Reading books! Or watching hulu. (If you’re reading this,

“learned” very loosely, I wasn’t very good. I didn’t become

check out the show Deadbeat. It’s hilariously the dumbest

truly “inspired” until I was 13 when I picked up the gui-

thing you’ll ever watch.)

tar. However, I love rhythm and the drums so I believe

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learning them at the beginning shaped the way I learned

stable job to raise a family. Then...after several years, my

and played the guitar.

mom, I think, felt bad and bought him a Fender Stratocaster around Christmas. I saw him playing it on his

Who is your favorite musician?

“dad’s chair” in the living room and from that point on I

My favorite musician by far is John Mayer. (I mean...

knew I loved music and wanted nothing more than to do

come on, just amazing.)

it every day of my life.

What genre would you consider your music?

What does music mean to you?

Acoustic/Pop/Soul ... with a little bit of Rock.

Music means connection to me. As I’ve learned to be more involved with songwriting and performing over the last

In the beginning, what/who inspired you to make mu-

few years, I’ve learned more about myself and more about

sic?

others. Music is purely about connection. Every song is a

My dad inspired me to play music. He never really wrote

home and every lyric and note is the architecture. I believe

music growing up but he had a HUGE catalogue of cov-

music creates an atmosphere for people to live in. If it’s a

ers that he would play. He used music throughout college

song the listener likes, it can create a place where they can

to pay his way and my mom’s way through college for

be themselves. That is home. That is connection. That is

a couple years. He had to give up music to get a more

music...to me.

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What is your favorite song that you’ve written?

My favorite song I’ve written so far is between I Don’t Want To Love You and We Can Dream.

I Don’t Want To Love You is that one song that always seems to find a way of tearing through a few hearts in the room. It’s super powerful and very real to me. It’s that feeling of caring about someone so much but not wanting to at the same time because you know they won’t or don’t.

It’s heartbreaking.

We Can Dream is a new song that hasn’t been released yet but will be out, tentatively, Spring of 2016. It’s a song about the last two years of my life for everyone that has been a part of this dream of mine. We Can Dream is simply a song that is there to usher in empowerment. It’s a reminder to everyone that listens that we are capable of mostly anything we can bring ourselves to imagine.

Where do you see yourself in the years to come?

How do you communicate with your fans?

I have no idea but I know every day I’m lucky to play

All of my social media. I try to get back to most of the

music and have the fans that support me. We’ll see if they

comments I see! If someone is willing to take the time to

can put up with me in the years to come. ;)

say something I want to say something back. Simply posting a comment on anything of mine is a pretty big deal

If you could perform anywhere, where would it be and

for most people, so I definitely like treat it with respect.

why?

I’ve been lucky enough to play most of the major venues

When you are struggling, how do you keep yourself

across the country. At this point, I just enjoy performing

moving?

whether it’s at Nokia Live in Los Angeles or The Fox The-

I have been dealing with this today. So this is definitely an

atre or wherever, they are all buildings wherein I can do

in-the-moment question for me to answer.

what I love and that’s the magic. Performances are a lot

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less about the building/place and more about the people

There are countless amounts of ways I deal with struggles.

within them to me. It can feel really crappy to play the

It really depends on the intensity of the struggle itself. I’ve

Madison Square Garden with a very uninspired crowd.

cried it out. I’ve turned up classical music and just closed

my eyes. I’ve sat down at a guitar and wrote about it or I

most to me and that’s what I want my legacy to be about.

just go on a run.

Whether it’s a song of mine or merchandise, I want my fans to have an experience of purpose.

Most of the time it’s just taking a step back and writing all of the troubles I’m having in the moment down to get

What would you say to up-and-coming musicians

them out of my head. There is always a way forward but

facing hard times?

sometimes going forward means taking a few steps back to

The harder it is the easier it will be to tell yourself how

get a clear view of where to go next.

much you’ve accomplished. The biggest challenge in the industry is believing in yourself and you can only believe

What kind of legacy/impression do you want to leave?

in yourself when you are given an opportunity to prove

I’m pretty much speaking for every person out there when

what you’re capable of.

I say this, but I want to leave a legacy of purpose. I want to sing songs that help people understand themselves as

How would you describe yourself in one sentence?

well as songs that help me understand myself.

I am relentless.

I want everything I do and/or sell to have some sort of meaning behind it. I know money matters to people so I only want fans to buy something in exchange for something that also matters to them. THAT matters the

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1.Peaches – In the Valley Below 2.Where the Kids Are – Blondfire 3.Tongue Tied – Grouplove 4.Turnin’ – Young Rising Sons 5.Crooked Teeth – Death Cab for Cutie 6.Over & Over – Smallpools 7.Another Story – The Head and the Heart 8.Lions! – Lights 9.Pretty Brown Eyes – Cody Simpson 10.Heartbeat – Satellite Stories 11.We Won’t Go Home – the Colourist 12.Rollercoaster – Bleachers 13.40 Day Dream – Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros 14.Texas – Magic Man 15.Cecilia and the Satellite – Andrew Mahon in the Wilderness 16.To You – Young Wonder 17.Anna Sun – Walk the Moon 18.Golden – Parade of Lights 19.Breakers – Local Natives 20.Young Blood – The Naked and Famous

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HunTer Hunted By: andrew black 19

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Ashley Shoshan is a world-travelling entrepreneur with one mission: to bring awareness to and preserve the creativity of indigenous communities by selling bracelets, headpieces, and more that are made by native craftsmen. Not only is she giving them the credit they deserve, but she is also returning the profits to these craftsmen in order to assist them and their communities and keep them from dissolving. Ashley speaks on creativity, travelling, and inspiration.

Written by: Keilah Guardado Pictures by: Ana Massard

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What sparked your love for traveling?

What has been one of your best experiences

Well, my father was born in Morocco and often traveled

while traveling?

for work, and my mom was an avid traveler throughout the

One of my memorable experiences while traveling has to

70s. So, I guess you could say it’s in my genes. I have always

be while I was teaching English at Tangchi High School

been curious about the larger world and have wanted to

in Anhui, China. Anhui is a small village surrounded

understand what is truly out there.

by agricultural land in the province of Shucheng. The community is very poor in terms of wealth, but the people

What is your favorite thing about traveling?

still persevere and work extremely hard to survive.

Ooh just about everything! The different walks of life you

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come across, the people, environment, food, and cultures

Outside of manual farming labor, there are not a lot of

you encounter. Experiencing a different way of living, and

opportunities for the children to grow. The parents put

seeing yourself grow by being outside your comfort zone.

extreme pressure on the children to succeed in school, but

The connections you can make with people around the

the reality is that most of them will never get a chance to

world.

move on to university or higher education.

what seemed like hundreds of kids, all eager to learn and partake in the class. We decided we would alter the course to make it friendly for all ages and English levels.

At the end of the day my heart was filled with so much love for the students, I didn’t want to leave. I listened to stories from the high school students about their eagerness to succeed and learn about the world. These students had never been to the ocean, and wanted to know what a beach looked like. They wanted to know how to bake an apple I came to Anhui through a poverty-alleviation program I

pie and make various “American” foods.

enrolled in while studying abroad at TsingHua University.

The purpose of the program is to teach English in the

Saying goodbye to each and everyone of them was very

poorest regions of China, with the hopes that it will

hard. We took pictures, exchanged letters and drawings,

provide more opportunities to those in need.

and gave hugs. I must have given a hundred hugs filled with laughter and tears that day. At the end the little boy

On one of the last days, while a fellow teacher and I were

from our tour said to me “wo Péngyu”, (sounds like pang-

waiting between classes, some of the principal’s young

you), meaning “my friend”. I was so touched by them,

children were out from class early. The two boys and a

they will always hold a special place in my heart. It was

little girl saw us waiting in the hallway, and curiously

one of the best connections I ever made and I was so sad

approached us. These little ones had not yet taken an

to leave this particular village.

English course, but we eventually figured out that they wanted to give us a tour of their school and the nearby

I will never forget seeing the crying faces chasing after the

village.

car as we were leaving. My heart broke thinking about these sweet children that I may never see again. I wondered

As we began our tour, we started to play funny games along

what would happen to them? What kind of future would

the way. First just chasing each other around and making

they have? Did I help at all? We were only at this school

goofy faces for the camera. They picked flowers for us and

a few days and the connections we made seemed deep

wanted us to smell them. We must have been making

enough to last a lifetime. They will always hold a special

quite a commotion as more students of all ages came out to

place in my heart.

join us. All full of laughs and giggles, we played duck duck goose, red rover-red rover, Simon says, and laughed what seemed for hours. Our common language was playfulness and we spoke through laughter. Eventually, the fun and games had to stop, as it was time for our class to begin. The little children were so excited, they didn’t want to leave our side. Being our last day and seeing the connection we were making, the principal decided it would be okay for us to teach one big joint class for all ages. We packed in

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What does “Seiba” mean? Why is it

way, I came across a stunningly intricate

significant to you?

and vibrant weave. As I traced the story

Seiba, just like the Yaaxché or Ceiba tree,

of the construction back to the source in

is a name for the ancient Mayans’ sacred

Chiapas, I discovered much more than a

tree of life, which connected all people

nice belt.

and planes of existence. The Chamula of Chiapas, the artisans, are the seeds,

Seiba was and continues to be inspired

roots, and core of Seiba, while the rest of

by the Chamula of Chiapas and their

the company functions as the branches

ancient mythology. Their stories are so

connecting the artisans to the greater

courageous and powerful; it truly affects

world. In doing so, these communities

you when you listen to them.

can continue to live their natural way of life and earn income and appreciation

As I explored the community I learned

from the larger world.

that, despite the beauty and quality of their artwork, they lacked resources for

Seiba is significant to me because the

selling it. Many artisans were forced

foundation of Seiba is about connecting

to leave their communities to sell their

people to culture, nature, art, and

crafts in the surrounding towns and

ancient beliefs. We need to preserve

cities. Others are forced to fend for

global diversity and help sustain it. By

themselves in the busy cities in hopes of

building a bridge between these small

finding a way to bring money back to

communities and the first world, we are

their families. I was saddened to see how

providing these talented artisans with the

poverty and modernization can erode

means to overcome poverty, while giving

their sacred traditions and break apart

the end consumer a glimpse into their

families.

demanding, yet beautiful way of life.

I believed their weave was so detailed There are many beautiful cultures,

and beautiful that it would be loved by

aside from Chiapas, that need our help

many if only it could be seen. However,

in order to preserve their ancient ways

at the same time, I wanted to protect the

of life. As the Seiba tree continues to

sanctity of their villages and allow them

grow, we remain committed to honoring

to remain with their families. I believed

and protecting threatened communities

that if I could build their branches to

around the world.

the greater world, the artisans could continue to live in their communities. I

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What inspired Seiba?

wanted to do everything I could to help

Originally, a strong desire for exploration

preserve their culture while bringing in

and travel led me on a backpacking

more dependable revenue streams. And I

journey around the world. Along the

guess the rest is history J

Considering possible language barriers, how have you been able to communicate with the people of Chamula and\or other communities you work with?

Overcoming language barriers is definitely an obstacle, especially when communication undergoes multiple translations (Tzotzil-Spanish-English and back again).

There is no doubt that parts of the message can be lost in translation.

The native tongue, Tzotzil, is only recognized and spoken within their communities, and most of the elders only speak Tzotzil. Luckily, there are a few artisans who speak both Tzotzil and Spanish, and they are able to help with the translations.

It’s amazing to see that even with language barriers, you can still connect on a personal level just by spending time with each other, sharing different cultural practices, showing respect, and making each other laugh. I made some of my first friendships and connections by playing dress-up with the children and dancing around with my hair in pig tails with pom poms. Laughter and smiles are universal.

Why is it important to preserve the creativity and traditions of the indigenous communities?

The indigenous communities residing in Chiapas are just one of many indigenous cultures worldwide that face uncertain futures. Indigenous communities form the largest minority in the world and are often the most impoverished. Their culture and traditions are slowly being lost due to modernization, environmental changes, and lack of opportunities that force relocation. Once they are gone, they will never come back.

These are traditional ways of life, languages, and beliefs that have existed for centuries, and they will soon disappear if not acknowledged and protected. Our world needs global diversity.

It is a necessity for our collective creativity and inspiration.

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How have you been inspired by the people in the communities you work with?

I am inspired by them every day! They inspire me to appreciate all the components of life and live consciously. Their stories inspire me to fight for them and what I believe in. There is so much love there: for the earth, nature, crops, family, tradition, and community. Everything from the way maize is harvested to collecting sticks for the fire, making their own clothing, and caring for family members. It’s all done for survival of their family and community, and it is completely based upon living off the land. It’s truly beautiful!

Experiencing their way of life and seeing how strong they are inspires me to be less focused on the negatives in life. They are the happiest people and truly appreciate the earth and what it provides.

What is your dream and/or future goal(s) for Seiba?

In Chamula, Seiba is committed to reinvesting into the communities to help them solve the larger problems of their disappearing culture, education, healthcare, sanitation, and infrastructure Beyond Chamula, my dream is that the Seiba tree will continue to grow and spread awareness for indigenous cultures worldwide. I hope that Seiba can be used as a platform to bridge fashion and culture while keeping the process authentic. I would love to build a long lasting global community of good people, and in doing so, help protect the sanctity of these threatened communities.

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What would you say to inspire those who desire to travel and/or reach out to indigenous communities?

See the world, take everything in, be kind and learn from others. Be respectful of their cultures and traditions. Take interest and observe, and never turn down a food offering :) It takes patience and trust to build a friendship and lasting relationship.

Travel is eye opening and makes you fall in love with the world. It helps inspire your soul and is the best thing you can do for yourself. There are so many programs available to get you out there and immersed in other ways of life. Take a chance, you only live once!

weareseiba.com

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FINDING SHELTER IN THE WARMTH OF WOOL Written by: Ilana Newman

Pictures by: Nick Johnson

Sackcloth and Ashes is small company based out of the Pacific Northwest started by entrepreneur Bob Dalton. They make high quality blankets out of fairtrade alpaca wool and sell them across the country.

Dalton got the idea to sell blankets after the summer of 2013 when his mother, someone who he regarded as a strong hardworking woman, became homeless.

Life got the best of her. She lost nearly all she had due to unfortunate circumstances and moved across the country to start her life over. My beautiful mother had become homeless. It was then that I realized that not all choose to become homeless - that some just need a second chance.”

He began searching for a way to not only help the homeless, who he now viewed in a completely

across America are always in need of blankets.”

new light, but also bring this newfound awareness to people across the country and the world. He

When I spoke to Dalton, he told me that he was in-

called shelters and asked them what they needed

spired by Tupac Shakur to share his creativity with

and got one answer across the board—“blankets.”

the world in a way that could help people at the same time. When he started his company, he had

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“Providing blankets to people in shelters is

no idea how to run a company, or even how to make

not just a felt need - it’s a real need. Men,

blankets, but social justice was something that he

women, and children in homeless shelters

had always been passionate about and the rest

fell into place behind that passion and creativity.

swer is that people in homeless shelters all around

He named his company after the Jewish symbol-

the world don’t have blankets. Blankets are a real

ism meaning “mourning” and “repentance” saying

need, not just a felt need. Blankets to me symbol-

that “The idea is every time you wrap yourself

ize a step in the right direction to reclaiming all

in one of our blankets it symbolizes mourning

people’s dignity - especially in our own societies.”

over the homeless population and repentance by contributing to a homeless shelter in your area.”

Bob Dalton has a mission to raise awareness across the world about a problem that is close to home.

Every time a blanket is bought, he donates a

Everywhere you go there are people starving on

blanket to a homeless shelter to help the people

the streets, people that we mostly turn a blind

who really just need some warmth in their lives.

eye to, looking away when they ask for change.

When I asked him what the blankets mean to

But many of these people just need a little bit of

him, he replied, “The obvious answer is warmth,

support -- they want to get on their feet again.

security, and even dignity. The absolute real an-

A little bit counts: a smile, a dollar, a blanket.

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sackclothandashes.com

@sackclothxashes

www.facebook.com/sackclothxashes

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ISSUE 003