Joy McBrien's guest appearances

Joy McBrien

Social Entrepreneur

Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder?

Art of Citizenry

Bethany Tran

Kate Goodall

Lindsey McCoy

Jessica Jackley

Hamilton Perkins

Liza Moiseeva

Kathleen Kelly Janus

Ann Davis

Kate Hayes

Tweet Jukebox

Paul Bradley

Nathan Chan

Mac Prichard

Lauren Peterson

Safeena Husain

OwlTail

From saviorism to poverty porn, for decades, storytelling has become part and parcel of marketing and fundraising efforts. For social enterprises, stories about the lives of the artisans who design and create products are shared often in the name of transparency. With storytelling a core part of many brands' marketing strategy, the conversation around consent is often overlooked.“Mission-driven products are often sold using some level of someone's trauma and it ultimately makes you feel like you're just being valued for your traumas and nothing else."Both the biggest strength and failure of a social entrepreneur is storytelling. Where light otherwise remains unshone, social entrepreneurs share stories of hardship, poverty, and inequality. As an unintended consequence, these stories often further deep-seated racial power dynamics first introduced with colonialism.In episode 5, I am joined by Joy McBrien, the founder and CEO of Fair Anita, a fair trade social enterprise that strives to build a more inclusive economy for women. Fair Anita works with 8,000 women across 9 different countries to create fashion accessories ranging from jewelry to handbags. Their vision is to design a world in which women and girls can grow up feeling safe, respected, and valued no matter their geography.Language in StorytellingLanguage has the power to break and also reinforce stereotypes. I found it interesting to hear Joy talk about "agency" instead of "empowerment." Empowerment is a very loaded word and one I see often used by social enterprises to describe the impact of their work on the artisans they work with. Personally, I find the word empowerment quite problematic because it reinforces the idea that the person on the other end has no power to begin with, essentially discounting any form of agency.“What does it mean as a white woman working with almost exclusively women of color? What am I then saying with that word because ultimately the word empowerment means to give power and I don't really feel like that's what it is. I think there's a mutual giving of power — like there's power in our combined relationship our shared experiences, but I don't feel like it's one-sided as the word empower suggests.”Why is knowing the maker's name not good enough? Why is it that instead of sharing professional bios like most companies do of their employees, fair trade and ethical brands choose to share intimate details about the personal lives and trauma of makers?Informed ConsentThere is a difference between saying, “Sure you can tell people about my personal trauma” and knowing exactly the extent to which someone's photo and narrative will be used, on swing tags, in shops, on social media, on your website, and so forth. It is important for markers to understand what exactly they are giving consent to, and what that might mean for them, their families, and ultimately, their privacy."Remember that storytelling takes place not just on social media, but when we're talking to customers and building those relationships. Even if it's not trackable, it's still really important …and necessary that we're sharing those stories with consent and and in a way makers would want to be portrayed."Consent in PhotographyWe tend to take photos and share them without really thinking much about consent or compensating the person like we would a model in the Global North if we were using their photo to sell our products.“If you're walking on the street and you think it's fine to take a picture of somebody doing something over there. They're still in the picture — you still have to get their consent. If you don't feel comfortable getting their consent, that probably means you shouldn't be taking their picture.”The classic example I like to share is that of the "Afghan Girl,” an iconic photo that was published on the cover of National Geographic in 1985. The woman who was photographed, Sharbat Gula, was pulled out of class without her consent or parental consent by the photographer, a white male, who took her to a nondescript location, posed her, and photographed her. What that photo is most known for is the fear in her eyes. When you read interviews with her in recent years, she talks about how that one photograph derailed her life while giving the photographer global recognition. What you see is her genuine fear of a stranger. It truly blows my mind how we don't apply the same principles around consent in photography with those living in the Global South as we do with those living in the Global North.Where do we go from here as social enterprises?No one is perfect, this is a process and the purpose of conversations like this is to get us thinking about how we can reflect on the systems we operate in and address some of those issues around making social enterprises more inclusive and giving each member of the business a seat at the table or an equal voice. All too often brands share photos of models who are white and place those next to photos of makers who are of color. Diversity can't just be the artisan partners you work with. It has to be in every aspect of your business.Resources + LinksInterested in reading some of the resources I reference during the episode? Check out these links:[Blog Post] It's Time to Expand the Conversation About Consent by Joy McBrien[Article] Why Language is Important when Navigating Inequity by Manpreet Kalra[Resource Page]Crafting Inclusive Brand Narratives[Article] You'll Never See the Iconic Photo of the 'Afghan Girl' the Same Way AgainConnect with Fair AnitaPlease make the effort to support small businesses — you can follow Fair Anita on Instagram and shop their collection online.Thank YouThis podcast is dedicated to creating a safe space to discuss and challenge topics surrounding how we each navigate our personal advantages and disadvantages. I want to thank Joy for joining me and sharing her experiences and valuable insights.Finally, thank you for listening! Please subscribe, download, and leave a review for Art of Citizenry Podcast — I appreciate your love and support on this exciting journey! To learn more about Art of Citizenry and for information on future webinars and workshops, please visit artofcitizenry.com. Also, if you want to connect, please feel free to follow me and share your thoughts with me on Instagram @manpreetkalra.

From saviorism to poverty porn, for decades, storytelling has become part and parcel of marketing and fundraising efforts. For social enterprises, stories about the lives of the artisans who design and create products are shared often in the name of transparency. With storytelling a core part of many brands' marketing strategy, the conversation around consent is often overlooked.“Mission-driven products are often sold using some level of someone's trauma and it ultimately makes you feel like you're just being valued for your traumas and nothing else."Both the biggest strength and failure of a social entrepreneur is storytelling. Where light otherwise remains unshone, social entrepreneurs share stories of hardship, poverty, and inequality. As an unintended consequence, these stories often further deep-seated racial power dynamics first introduced with colonialism.In episode 5, I am joined by Joy McBrien, the founder and CEO of Fair Anita, a fair trade social enterprise that strives to build a more inclusive economy for women. Fair Anita works with 8,000 women across 9 different countries to create fashion accessories ranging from jewelry to handbags. Their vision is to design a world in which women and girls can grow up feeling safe, respected, and valued no matter their geography.Language in StorytellingLanguage has the power to break and also reinforce stereotypes. I found it interesting to hear Joy talk about "agency" instead of "empowerment." Empowerment is a very loaded word and one I see often used by social enterprises to describe the impact of their work on the artisans they work with. Personally, I find the word empowerment quite problematic because it reinforces the idea that the person on the other end has no power to begin with, essentially discounting any form of agency.“What does it mean as a white woman working with almost exclusively women of color? What am I then saying with that word because ultimately the word empowerment means to give power and I don't really feel like that's what it is. I think there's a mutual giving of power — like there's power in our combined relationship our shared experiences, but I don't feel like it's one-sided as the word empower suggests.”Why is knowing the maker's name not good enough? Why is it that instead of sharing professional bios like most companies do of their employees, fair trade and ethical brands choose to share intimate details about the personal lives and trauma of makers?Informed ConsentThere is a difference between saying, “Sure you can tell people about my personal trauma” and knowing exactly the extent to which someone's photo and narrative will be used, on swing tags, in shops, on social media, on your website, and so forth. It is important for markers to understand what exactly they are giving consent to, and what that might mean for them, their families, and ultimately, their privacy."Remember that storytelling takes place not just on social media, but when we're talking to customers and building those relationships. Even if it's not trackable, it's still really important …and necessary that we're sharing those stories with consent and and in a way makers would want to be portrayed."Consent in PhotographyWe tend to take photos and share them without really thinking much about consent or compensating the person like we would a model in the Global North if we were using their photo to sell our products.“If you're walking on the street and you think it's fine to take a picture of somebody doing something over there. They're still in the picture — you still have to get their consent. If you don't feel comfortable getting their consent, that probably means you shouldn't be taking their picture.”The classic example I like to share is that of the "Afghan Girl,” an iconic photo that was published on the cover of National Geographic in 1985. The woman who was photographed, Sharbat Gula, was pulled out of class without her consent or parental consent by the photographer, a white male, who took her to a nondescript location, posed her, and photographed her. What that photo is most known for is the fear in her eyes. When you read interviews with her in recent years, she talks about how that one photograph derailed her life while giving the photographer global recognition. What you see is her genuine fear of a stranger. It truly blows my mind how we don't apply the same principles around consent in photography with those living in the Global South as we do with those living in the Global North.Where do we go from here as social enterprises?No one is perfect, this is a process and the purpose of conversations like this is to get us thinking about how we can reflect on the systems we operate in and address some of those issues around making social enterprises more inclusive and giving each member of the business a seat at the table or an equal voice. All too often brands share photos of models who are white and place those next to photos of makers who are of color. Diversity can't just be the artisan partners you work with. It has to be in every aspect of your business.Resources + LinksInterested in reading some of the resources I reference during the episode? Check out these links:<ul><li><a href="https://fairanita.com/blog/its-time-to-expand-the-conversation-about-consent/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">[Blog Post]</a> It's Time to Expand the Conversation About Consent by Joy McBrien</li><li><a href="https://medium.com/just-fashion/what-broke-me-today-1d9c7011c66b" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">[Article]</a> Why Language is Important when Navigating Inequity by Manpreet Kalra</li><li><a href="https://www.artofcitizenry.com/inclusive-narratives" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">[Resource Page]</a>Crafting Inclusive Brand Narratives</li><li><a href="https://thewire.in/media/afghan-girl-steve-mccurry-national-geographic" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">[Article]</a> You'll Never See the Iconic Photo of the 'Afghan Girl' the Same Way Again</li></ul>Connect with Fair AnitaPlease make the effort to support small businesses — you can <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fair.anita" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow Fair Anita on Instagram</a> and <a href="http://fairanita.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">shop their collection online</a>.Thank YouThis podcast is dedicated to creating a safe space to discuss and challenge topics surrounding how we each navigate our personal advantages and disadvantages. I want to thank Joy for joining me and sharing her experiences and valuable insights.Finally, thank you for listening! Please subscribe, download, and leave a review for Art of Citizenry Podcast — I appreciate your love and support on this exciting journey! To learn more about Art of Citizenry and for information on future webinars and workshops, please visit <a href="artofcitizenry.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">artofcitizenry.com</a>. Also, if you want to connect, please feel free to follow me and share your thoughts with me on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/manpreetkalra/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@manpreetkalra</a>.

Episode 05: Consent, Power + Trauma in Ethical Storytelling with Joy McBrien

Studies show that 98% of domestic violence victims also experience financial abuse and stay in abusive relationships due to financial insecurity. Today’s guest is Joy McBrien and her ethical jewelry brand Fair Anita creates financial opportunities for women around the world. Their artisans partners carefully design and create every product by hand, and Fair Anita also gives them the resources for economic self-sufficiency. Along with that, Fair Anita also maintains strong ethical standards in the production chain, working conditions, living wages, and full transparency of business practices. Join me as I speak with Joy about the journey of Fair Anita, and the life-changing mission to help women feel safe, valued, and respected, no matter where they live.   3:58 - The Joy 101    Joy started Fair Anita when she was just 24-years-old to help combat the issues with sexual violence that she’d experienced in her own life. After a lot of research, it became clear to her that financial insecurity is the main reason women stay in abusive partnerships. She also knew early on that she wanted her organization to help tackle the problems that can be found in consumerism and the exploitation of women in consumer supply chains. Starting her first jewelry company at age 15 gave Joy a knowledge of jewelry design that helped her connect to artisans and the ways they incorporate their own culture into designs. While living in Peru, Joy witnessed horrible factory conditions and became passionate about knowing where her purchases came from and the working conditions of the people making those products. Joy knew there were already many big names in the fair trade world but realized an opportunity to make fair trade products that were more personalized, accessible, and affordable.    8:55 - Developing Fair Anita    As she traveled the world, Joy built a network of women doing incredible work and reached back out to them when she started Fair Anita. They worked together to incorporate artisan’s traditional skills into updated designs for US markets.  Joy was very intentional to make sure Fair Anita offered fair trade goods with accessible price points. She believes ethical fashion is only truly ethical if it is affordable and accessible to more than one subset of people.  Fair Anita artisans are still paid two to three times the living wage where they’re located. Volume of sales rather than higher-priced items makes this possible. The demand is being driven by Millennials and recent a Forbes article shows that 73% of Millennials are likely to purchase a mission-based product if they’re given a comparable alternative in price and design. Brands will have to adapt to this demand and start focusing more of their supply chains on ethical practices. This helps create a fair trade market that is accessible to average consumers as well. Smaller brands also get a chance to shine and push the market to meet higher fair trade standards.    17:20 - Sustainable Options and Ethical Storytelling    Moving forward, Fair Anita wants to continue helping larger organizations improve by creating sustainable options for their customers. Joy will also be turning her focus to international women’s rights and bringing suppliers back into direct conversations about supply chains. One of the biggest parts of Fair Anita’s mission is making sure artisans give consent for their stories to be shared. Artisans should be the ones deciding whether or not to share about their lives, which also means managing consumer’s expectations to hear them. When people do decide to share their story, it’s important to create safe spaces where they can share rather than have other people repeating their stories.       32:37 - Getting To Know Our Guest    Find out who Joy would most like to sit next to on a 10-hour flight, her guilty pleasure, what books she’s reading, and of course, what it means to run a business with purpose.  ABOUT JOY Joy McBrien is a global learner who is passionate about creating opportunities for women and girls. She is the Founder and CEO of Fair Anita, a social enterprise that strives to build a more inclusive economy for women by providing economic opportunity and dignified jobs through beautiful fair trade jewelry and accessories. She has worked with thousands of women around the world, using her empathetic nature to understand circumstances and develop creative solutions, including having built a battered women’s shelter in Peru and working at a girl-focused middle school in St. Paul. Joy has been recognized for her leadership in this space, giving a TEDx talk and receiving awards including: Top Ten Outstanding Young Minnesotans 2015, Open Hands Initiative Fellow 2016, Minnesota Business Magazine’s 35 Entrepreneurs Under 35, CauseArtist's 35 Entrepreneurs to Watch, and the Real Power 50 Award. Joy is a member of the Global Shapers Community, and has spoken on women's issues at various events with the World Economic Forum, including the Annual Meeting of New Champions (aka Summer Davos) and the Sustainable Development Impact Summit. Beyond acting on her passions for women's rights and ethical supply chains, Joy spends much of her time traveling, working with young people, and performing as a professional dancer.   Connect with Joy:  https://fairanita.com/ http://www.instagram.com/fair.anita http://www.facebook.com/shopfairanita http://www.twitter.com/fair_anita 

Studies show that 98% of domestic violence victims also experience financial abuse and stay in abusive relationships due to financial insecurity. Today’s guest is Joy McBrien and her ethical jewelry brand Fair Anita creates financial opportunities for women around the world. Their artisans partners carefully design and create every product by hand, and Fair Anita also gives them the resources for economic self-sufficiency. Along with that, Fair Anita also maintains strong ethical standards in the production chain, working conditions, living wages, and full transparency of business practices. Join me as I speak with Joy about the journey of Fair Anita, and the life-changing mission to help women feel safe, valued, and respected, no matter where they live. 3:58 - The Joy 101 <ul> <li>Joy started Fair Anita when she was just 24-years-old to help combat the issues with sexual violence that she’d experienced in her own life. After a lot of research, it became clear to her that financial insecurity is the main reason women stay in abusive partnerships.</li> <li>She also knew early on that she wanted her organization to help tackle the problems that can be found in consumerism and the exploitation of women in consumer supply chains.</li> <li>Starting her first jewelry company at age 15 gave Joy a knowledge of jewelry design that helped her connect to artisans and the ways they incorporate their own culture into designs.</li> <li>While living in Peru, Joy witnessed horrible factory conditions and became passionate about knowing where her purchases came from and the working conditions of the people making those products.</li> <li>Joy knew there were already many big names in the fair trade world but realized an opportunity to make fair trade products that were more personalized, accessible, and affordable.</li> </ul> 8:55 - Developing Fair Anita <ul> <li>As she traveled the world, Joy built a network of women doing incredible work and reached back out to them when she started Fair Anita. They worked together to incorporate artisan’s traditional skills into updated designs for US markets. </li> <li>Joy was very intentional to make sure Fair Anita offered fair trade goods with accessible price points. She believes ethical fashion is only truly ethical if it is affordable and accessible to more than one subset of people. </li> <li>Fair Anita artisans are still paid two to three times the living wage where they’re located. Volume of sales rather than higher-priced items makes this possible.</li> <li>The demand is being driven by Millennials and recent a Forbes article shows that 73% of Millennials are likely to purchase a mission-based product if they’re given a comparable alternative in price and design.</li> <li>Brands will have to adapt to this demand and start focusing more of their supply chains on ethical practices. This helps create a fair trade market that is accessible to average consumers as well.</li> <li>Smaller brands also get a chance to shine and push the market to meet higher fair trade standards.</li> </ul> 17:20 - Sustainable Options and Ethical Storytelling <ul> <li>Moving forward, Fair Anita wants to continue helping larger organizations improve by creating sustainable options for their customers.</li> <li>Joy will also be turning her focus to international women’s rights and bringing suppliers back into direct conversations about supply chains.</li> <li>One of the biggest parts of Fair Anita’s mission is making sure artisans give consent for their stories to be shared. Artisans should be the ones deciding whether or not to share about their lives, which also means managing consumer’s expectations to hear them.</li> <li>When people do decide to share their story, it’s important to create safe spaces where they can share rather than have other people repeating their stories.   </li> </ul> 32:37 - Getting To Know Our Guest <ul> <li>Find out who Joy would most like to sit next to on a 10-hour flight, her guilty pleasure, what books she’s reading, and of course, what it means to run a business with purpose.</li> </ul> ABOUT JOY Joy McBrien is a global learner who is passionate about creating opportunities for women and girls. She is the Founder and CEO of Fair Anita, a social enterprise that strives to build a more inclusive economy for women by providing economic opportunity and dignified jobs through beautiful fair trade jewelry and accessories. She has worked with thousands of women around the world, using her empathetic nature to understand circumstances and develop creative solutions, including having built a battered women’s shelter in Peru and working at a girl-focused middle school in St. Paul. Joy has been recognized for her leadership in this space, giving a TEDx talk and receiving awards including: Top Ten Outstanding Young Minnesotans 2015, Open Hands Initiative Fellow 2016, Minnesota Business Magazine’s 35 Entrepreneurs Under 35, CauseArtist's 35 Entrepreneurs to Watch, and the Real Power 50 Award. Joy is a member of the Global Shapers Community, and has spoken on women's issues at various events with the World Economic Forum, including the Annual Meeting of New Champions (aka Summer Davos) and the Sustainable Development Impact Summit. Beyond acting on her passions for women's rights and ethical supply chains, Joy spends much of her time traveling, working with young people, and performing as a professional dancer.   Connect with Joy: <ul> <li><a href="https://fairanita.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://fairanita.com/</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.instagram.com/fair.anita" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.instagram.com/fair.anita</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.facebook.com/shopfairanita" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/shopfairanita</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.twitter.com/fair_anita" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/fair_anita</a></li> </ul>

The Power of Story | EP 163: Joy McBrien, Founder of Fair Anita

After experiencing sexual violence in high school, Joy McBrien decided that she wanted to prevent this tragedy from happening to other women. When she read about the high incidence of violence against women in Peru, so she decided to travel there. As an 18 year-old, she decided to start a non-profit. After working with local women, she raised funds and built a women’s shelter. Over the next six years, Joy visited 18 countries, listening closely to the needs of women. Through these conversations, Joy began to deeply understand the relationship between poverty and violence against women. She understood that the best path to empowerment was through economic development. In other words, jobs. Today, Joy is the founder of Fair Anita, a social enterprise that empowers women around the world through dignified jobs and fair trade relationships. Fair Anita currently works with 8,000 women in 16 countries.Social Entrepreneurship Quotes from Joy McBrien: “I wanted to create a systems-changing solution that would attack sexual violence at its source.” “I don’t want to have to ever sell something based off of pity. That’s not creating an empathetic relationship between artisan and consumer.” “We’re creating products that millennials in the US want, at a price point that they’re willing to pay. Therefore we’ve created jobs for thousands of women around the world. And because they have this job, they can leave an abusive partner, or they are seen as having more worth in their own home. They are empowered.” “With millennials, you have to be authentic and transparent and engage them in the process.”Fair Anita Quote Giveaway Announcement! If you love what you hear from Joy McBrien and want to support Fair Anita, you can join our giveaway. Click here for details.Social Entrepreneurship Resources:  eBook: Five Key Traits of Successful Social Entrepreneurs: http://tonyloyd.com/socent Try Audible and Receive Two Free Audiobooks: http://tonyloyd.com/books Fair Anita: http://www.fairanita.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShopFairAnita Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fair.anita Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/fairanita Twitter: https://twitter.com/fair_anita

After experiencing sexual violence in high school, Joy McBrien decided that she wanted to prevent this tragedy from happening to other women. When she read about the high incidence of violence against women in Peru, so she decided to travel there. As an 18 year-old, she decided to start a non-profit. After working with local women, she raised funds and built a women’s shelter. Over the next six years, Joy visited 18 countries, listening closely to the needs of women. Through these conversations, Joy began to deeply understand the relationship between poverty and violence against women. She understood that the best path to empowerment was through economic development. In other words, jobs. Today, Joy is the founder of Fair Anita, a social enterprise that empowers women around the world through dignified jobs and fair trade relationships. Fair Anita currently works with 8,000 women in 16 countries. Social Entrepreneurship Quotes from Joy McBrien: “I wanted to create a systems-changing solution that would attack sexual violence at its source.” “I don’t want to have to ever sell something based off of pity. That’s not creating an empathetic relationship between artisan and consumer.” “We’re creating products that millennials in the US want, at a price point that they’re willing to pay. Therefore we’ve created jobs for thousands of women around the world. And because they have this job, they can leave an abusive partner, or they are seen as having more worth in their own home. They are empowered.” “With millennials, you have to be authentic and transparent and engage them in the process.” Fair Anita Quote Giveaway Announcement! If you love what you hear from Joy McBrien and want to support Fair Anita, you can join our giveaway. <a href="http://tonyloyd.com/giveaway-announcement" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Click here for details</a>. Social Entrepreneurship Resources: <ul> <li>eBook: Five Key Traits of Successful Social Entrepreneurs: <a href="http://tonyloyd.com/socent" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://tonyloyd.com/socent</a></li> <li>Try Audible and Receive Two Free Audiobooks: <a href="http://tonyloyd.com/books" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://tonyloyd.com/books</a></li> <li>Fair Anita: <a href="http://www.fairanita.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.fairanita.com</a></li> <li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ShopFairAnita" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/ShopFairAnita</a></li> <li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fair.anita" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/fair.anita</a></li> <li>Pinterest: <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/fairanita" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.pinterest.com/fairanita</a></li> <li>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/fair_anita" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/fair_anita</a></li></ul>

041, Joy McBrien, Fair Anita | Beautiful Products with a Powerful Purpose