Everywhere Nia looked she saw representation that wasn’t reflective of her children. Whether they were at the store, watching a movie or crucially buying clothes, the faces she and her children saw were of someone else. Not them.
What makes you think my children aren’t superheroes?
Nia soon went to find an alternative to what was on store shelves. She opened Google and searched for Black-owned brands. Unfortunately, results were minimal. The only thing Nia could find were well-known brands that did a “series” featuring Black people, reinforcing the narrative that “only a few of us are good enough to be included.”
We are consumers - where is the acknowledgment, respect and value for our spending power?
That’s when Nia decided to take things into her own hands. Pairing with artists, printers, and thinkers in her community, Nia set out to discover—and develop—essentials that affirmed who her children are, and who they’ll eventually grow to be.
LOVE JOY ORIGINALS was born in Brooklyn Spring 2020