Special Event with the Portland Public Library
Aja Barber is a writer, stylist and consultant whose work deals with the intersections of sustainability and the fashion landscape. Their work builds heavily on ideas behind privilege, wealth inequality, racism, feminism, colonialism and how to fix the fashion industry with all these things in mind.
Aja Barber is the author of Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change and Consumerism and a contributing editor for ELLE UK covering topics including ethical fashion, sustainability, circular economy and independent business.
“In the 'learning' first half of the book, I will expose you to the endemic injustices in our consumer industries and the uncomfortable history of the textile industry; one which brokered slavery, racism and today's wealth inequality. And how these oppressive systems have bled into the fashion industry and its lack of diversity and equality. I will also reveal how we spend our money and whose pockets it goes into and whose it doesn't (clue: the people who do the actual work) and will tell my story of how I came to learn the truth.
In the second 'unlearning' half of the book, I will help you to understand the uncomfortable truth behind why you consume the way you do. I ask you to confront the sense of lack you have, the feeling that you are never quite enough and the reasons why you fill the aching void with consumption rather than compassion. You will challenge this power disparity, and take back ownership of it. The less you buy into the consumer culture the more power you have.”