Stephen Mitchell is a character - a big, friendly guy with a ton of personality. I first met him in our Oshawa factory where he raised the vibration of everyone in the place. I loved his spirit and soon brought him into our Toronto office. Then Covid hit and we had to put him on temporary leave - tears were shed, but now he's back!
Soon after the George Floyd protests erupted he came to me with an idea that his sister - Sara - had. It's a brand called 'Hue Man Race'. He's helping her out and we're thinking of selling some of her t-shirts in organic cotton. Check out the video and her vision below and let us know what you think!
In Sara’s Words
“HUE MAN RACE apparel was created with the intent of igniting a conversation that has long gone unspoken and misunderstood. We - MANKIND - have used language in very perverted ways, created labels for one another, stereotypes to adhere to Black, White, Christian, Muslim, Straight, Bisexual, Race, African, American, Untouchable. We assume we know the face, name, behaviour, belief system and life that each of these labels should have. But if we were to strip away all of that. Remove the labels and categories, erase the boxes we are forced to check off that define ourselves…What is left? HUE MAN- a man of colour or shade. It led me to the realization that we are all ONE RACE. These labels: Black, White, Brown, were just created to divide and destroy, compete and conquer.
Just as God created variations of birds; sparrow, flamingo, robin, or trees: maple, oak, chestnut, why would the HUMAN RACE be any less diverse. We are the Earth and to the Earth we belong.” HUEMAN RACE APPAREL, will donate half of all sales during the months of JUNE to AUGUST to The Black Legal Aid Centre; also known as BLAC. They offer free legal services for low- or no-income Black residents of Ontario. I believe in their mission to educate the Black community on their rights and other various legal issues such as Employment, Housing, Income Assistance, Police Complaints and so forth. BLAC seeks to change through education and the dissemination of knowledge.
When a group of people can make better informed decisions about their health, education, and life, they are able to rise above any power or privilege created to oppress them. Being a law student and aspiring legal professional in Ontario, I support their desire for change and advancement of the less privileged and marginalized groups in Ontario."
I think this is an excellent project. However, I would prefer to support the project and have the t-shirt donated. I am conscious of being a member of a privileged group, and I fear, if I wore the the shirt, it would be misunderstood as another way of saying “all lives matter” (am I being oversensitive?). I am an elder and throughout my life have been devoted to humanism values and literally believe all lives matter; but I understand this is now an incendiary phrase (I appreciate the reasoning
within the context of the times).