Jas It Up: Empowering Future Climate Leaders

JAS IT UP is a Black woman-owned sustainable lifestyle brand. We strive to encompass all aspects of sustainability to create versatile, long-lasting products that challenge the current narrative of the fashion industry, and bring to light the dire need to protect our environment.  Our mission is to educate and inspire people to lead eco-conscious and socially aware lifestyles in an effort to uplift our communities, empower our youth, and protect our future on this planet.

The Problem

There are currently 3.6 billion people – roughly half the world’s population – already living in areas that are highly susceptible to the effects of the climate crisis and the vast majority don’t have the resources to adapt. At the same time, many feel helpless and hopeless when it comes to combating it. They say, “It’s too big and confusing of an issue to tackle” or they have convinced themselves they are too insignificant to make a difference. Add to that the wall of willful ignorance that people erect; it allows them to assume the climate crisis won't affect them and their loved ones, that it’s simply a problem for people in other areas and for future generations.

The Solution

Jas It Up seeks to change these narratives by empowering people to build environmentally and socially sustainable communities through fashion and education. Both of which are excellent levers for climate action because they spark innovation and creation, and are great foundations to help build community.

More than just a environmentally friendly and stylish clothing line, Jas It Up is a sustainable lifestyle brand -centered around the three main pillars of sustainble develpment - that creates a safe space for people to ask questions and speak about the climate crisis. We do this by designing collections centered around storytelling that brings awareness to the many ways the climate crisis is directly impacting people today. Through strategic messaging around the collections, we educate people so they can make small changes in their daily lives to help combat the climate crisis. In addition, we partner with local nonprofits so a portion of the profits from each collection provides resources to communities on the front lines of climate. For example our GONE BY 2050 collection made a bold statement on the impact the climate crisis has on coastal communities based on climate research that neighborhoods in major cities such as New York, Miami, and London could be flooded and inhabitable as early as 2050. For this collection we partnered with SBP, a New Orleans-based non-profit founded after Hurricane Katrina that provides resources such as home restoration to families affected by natural disasters.

And we’re about to pilot an innovative, solutions-oriented curriculum program at 2 schools in the LA area that will educate the students about the massive climate impacts of the fashion industry and share ways our clothes can become forces for good. Our goal is to inspire them to become future climate leaders and use their collective voices to speak out about the impact of the climate crisis.

The Opportunity

One after school program offered to 50 kids from 2 schools is the first step in the Turning Our Clothes Into a Force For Good marathon; deploying the curriculum at 10 schools in the next year would get us to the first mile marker.

The Ask

Jas It Up is raising $25,000 to fund the creation of a comprehensive educational program that can be shared with 10 schools nationwide. $5,000 will go toward refining and expanding our current program set to launch this coming September. The remaining $20,000 will go toward the logistics of executing the program at 10 schools across the country. These logistics include finding viable schools to partner with, securing materials necessary for participants in the program and the cost of staffing the program at the schools. 

About Me and Our Customers 

As someone who grew up on Long Island’s south shore,and who’s only ever resided in coastal communities, I've seen firsthand the devastating impacts of more frequentcy and severe superstorms – fueled by human-caused climate change – that devastate coastal communities. I know the time to act is now, and as a professional soccer player I have the unique ability to use my platform and the Jas It Up brand to empower and inspire many with the message that a sustainable future is not only possible, it is our right.

Likewise, Jas It Up’s customers are people who believe in the power of a collective voice. They are enthusiastic and supportive of the idea that building community and providing resources to their local communities is the best way to take action and create change.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!

We have some cool unique rewards for you to take part in as a way to say thank you for all your support of our campaign. From exclusive autographed player cards to limited edition Jas It Up gear, we appreciate your support in not only helping Jas It Up grow into a successful business but in your contribution to empowering people to uplift their communities!