Colette was a member of our very first summer program in 2012. Over the course of the program, she learned how to create impact through fundraising activities, such as the fashion show that she organized to benefit the Liger Learning Center in Cambodia. Allow Good also taught Colette compassion and patience, skills she uses personally and professionally.
After her time with Allow Good, Colette enrolled at Columbia College of Chicago to support her growth as a young fashion designer. In her junior year at Columbia, Colette found a nonprofit organization that has helped her marry her love of fashion design and civic engagement. As an intern for The Creative Palate Series at Dream On Education, she created lesson plans focused on developing design skills among under served junior high school students. The curriculum focuses on goal setting, professional development, and career exploration and guidance. She also arranged for well-known companies such as Akira, Iridium, and Ford Models to present to the students.
The program was so successful that Colette was asked to help expand the program to schools on the west side of Chicago. Colette has enjoyed her time empowering young designers, she feels that she learned as much from them as they learned from her.
Now, Colette is pivoting to focus on her fashion brand, Mixed Sprinkles. Her brand that is just as fun, spunky, and energetic as Colette was during her time at our summer program. The first items of the collection, t-shirts with a design honoring Harriet Tubman, have been featured in her school newspaper! Once Colette gets her brand off the ground she wants to continue to give back through fashion, most likely by organizing benefit fashion shows.
Thanks for sharing your story with us, Colette! We can see that you have a bright future ahead of you as you use your love of fashion to empower other young people and continue your journey as a changemaker!
If you would like more information about Colette's brand, Mixed Sprinkles, you can visit her website or follow her on Instagram @mixedsprinkles