TwoKids Apparel
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By Greta Stanier
crolling through Instagram, one might come across the page of TwoKidsApparel, a business recently started by two City High students, Soumaila Sanogo ‘23 and Shamar Benton ‘23. With a vision of supporting social justice and helping the community, Sanogo and Benton started selling their shirts in honor of Black History Month. “We wanted something different on the back of our shirts to show what we’re about,” Sanogo said. “We came up with a lady with an afro that symbolizes Black Lives Matter. It shows how strong the afro can be.” Sanogo and Benton began their business around two months ago, since then, they have sold T-shirts to Iowa City, Coralville, Des Moines and Chicago. “We branched off how we used to do [business], we were always cutting grass and shoveling snow. We’ve always been entrepreneurs by heart. We said, ‘look, can we do it?’” Sanogo said. Shamar’s brother, Byron Benton ‘21, played a part in pushing the two towards their goals of starting this business. “[My brother] really helped us [when starting out] because he motivated us,” Benton said. “I feel like he didn’t really want to be part of it because he wasn’t sure how it was gonna go, but he always really told us that we should put our idea on a shirt.” Along with support from family, Sanogo and Benton sought out guidance from Andre Wright, a fashion activist and co-founder of the Iowa City based brand, Humanize My Hoodie. Andre Wright gave the two advice about starting their own business. To supporters of the brand, TwoKidsApparel is more than just a T-shirt selling business. Sanogo and Benton are committed to helping their community in numerous ways, such as giving back to the homeless. “We just want to help,” Benton said. “When people buy TwoKidsApparel, they’re helping other people. When they buy, it gives us [resources] that we could give back to the homeless. It helps us and it helps the homeless.” Using the platform they have gained from starting their business, they are looking towards doing more, such as a food drive.
ABOVE: Sonago and Benton help the homeless by donating a free shirt. PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUMAILA SANOGO AND SHAMAR BENTON
“We don’t want to just be worrying about media. selling clothes,” Sanogo said. “We want to “I feel like we create a better audience be helping people, with school, clothes, and being in high school,” Benton said. “Peofood. We were also planning on setting up a ple will want to buy from TwoKidsApparel food drive this summer to help out people because of our story behind it. It’s so legit who can afford to eat at home.” and authentic, that people can relate to [the Sanogo and Benton are both sophomores brand].” in high school, an age Overall, City that has created both “I feel like we create a better audi- High has helped obstacles and opporTwoKidsApparel take tunities. While nav- ence being in high school,” Benton off and branch into igating those chal- said. “People will want to buy from new places. lenges, some aspects “City High is a TwoKidsApparel because of our very powerful place. of balancing high school with their can do anything story behind it. It’s so legit and We business have been we put our mind to. difficult. authentic, that people can relate to I believe that using “Sometimes it City High, we can re[the brand].” would be stressful beally go far with this,” cause we both played Sanogo said. SHAMAR BENTON CITY HIGH SOPHOMORE basketball. It would Within the combe hard to drop off munity of City High, shirts for teachers because of practice, but we AJ Leman, a business teacher, has supported always make a way for it,” Benton said. TwoKidsApparel in giving the two encourOn the other hand, they have enjoyed agement. Leman can also be spotted sporting the connections and communication that a shirt. City High has brought to their brand. Many “I have Soumaila in class and he told me students and teachers have supported it, by about the idea,” Leman explained. “In fact, purchasing shirts and following their social he has told me about numerous business
22 The Little Hawk - FEATURES
5.7.21
