Slow Factory’s Fall 2021 Semester Of Open Edu Is Expanding To Teach The Disabled
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By Cassell Ferere orignally published on Forbes.com
Launching for another semester, this ‘fashion’ month of September, Slow Factory Foundation is opening its platform to conscious consumers and avid learners who want insight on sustainable fashion and achieving a circular economy. This Fall’s Open Edu semester will explore themes of abolition, dismantling toxic masculinity, white supremacy, and the correlation to the beauty industry. The focus of each topic works through supply chains, beauty politics, and the plastic problem within the production line. Slow Factory has invested in hiring ASL [American Sign Language] interpreters for its live events, accessible for hearing impaired learners.
Over 20,000+ students have registered for this Fall semester, from over 100 countries; 70% are BIPOC and minority ethnic, while 88% identify as female. Slow Factory has been consistent with the Open Edu and Study Hall institution and has been ever-expanding its programming since 2020, hosting a summer semester with Vestiaire Collective, and previously partnering with Adidas to offer free courses for students.
Céline Semaan, founder of the Slow Factory Foundation.
COURTESY OF SLOW FACTORY
Slow Factory Foundation is on a mission to ultimately connect the dots for our consciousness around agriculture, design, supply chain, culture, anti-colonial and anti-racial implementations that harbor circularity and inclusive economies. Ever-expanding, Slow Factory is building a school - yes, a physical structure - where students will get a coherent education in regards to the contemporary and modern world we live in.
Sophia Li, a multimedia journalist, activist, public speaker, and writer.
COURTESY OF SLOW FACTORY FOUNDATION
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Difficult topics and issues are discussed in these classrooms by the eclectic group of educators, which have included in the past semesters, Sophia Li, Aja Barber, Liz Ricketts, the co-founder & director of The OR Foundation, and the founder herself, Céline Semaan, all devoted to sustainable fashion education. Slow Factory also has immediate goals of including the disabled, ASL communities, and their leaders to come and teach the student body about diversity and inclusion in fashion and society.
Sustainable fashion consultant Aja Barber.
COURTESY OF SLOW FACTORY FOUNDATION
Semaan and Li have reached even further in their effort to democratize the idea of sustainable fashion and implementations in real-world settings. The two have launched the “All Of The Above'' show, which premiered on April 15. The two Slow Factory members partnered with i-D/Vice’s digital platform for the launch, and available on youtube and the website, alloftheabove.tv.
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